Change of Heart
by DarkHeianPrincess
Summary: After being released from Jenova's influence, Sephiroth is given a second chance at life as Tifa's companion.
1. Chapter I: A Second Chance

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. This was going to just be a One-Shot, but it was bugging me and I have so many ideas of what can happen in this story! So with several PMs from reader asking me to continue, I have taken the plung and decided to see where this was going to go. Plus I'm such a sucker for the TifaXSephiroth pairing. XD **

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter I: A Second Chance**

"_Stay where you belong…In my memories." Cloud whispered, his voice carried on the wind to Sephiroth's ears. _

"_I will…never be a memory…" Sephiroth's breath was labored, as if he were in pain, and his brow furrowed only slightly to show the effect Cloud's Omnislash had on him. Though stoic, his body was wracked with agony and as if on reflex, his massive midnight wing wrapped protectively around him. _

_Cloud took a step back as Sephiroth fell heavily to the ground. As he made impact, he rolled out from his wing and lay flat on his back. Cloud took on a defensive stance, ready to continue their battle, but Sephiroth didn't move. Cautiously, Cloud observed him for several more seconds before gingerly creeping toward him, his guard remaining high. The unconscious Sephiroth seemed completely lifeless. Reaching forward with his arm stretched to its full length, Cloud carefully placed his fingers over Sephiroth's nose, a puff of hot air struck his icy skin and he knew his nemesis was not dead. _

_Evil was always just so difficult to kill. _

_Raising his sword, Cloud was ready to deliver the finishing blow, but a gunshot rang out behind him, and a white hot bullet entered his back and excited his chest. In that moment, Cloud forgot Sephiroth and turned abruptly to face the remaining Remnants who seemed to be on their way back to the Lifestream. When the last cells of Jenova had been absorbed by Kadaj, he'd more or less opened a portal for Sephiroth's return, causing Kadaj to be sent back to the depths of Hell from whence he came, and due to Jenova's waning power and Aerith's Great Gospel, the others were soon to follow. _

_With disregard of their mortality, Cloud rushed toward them and just as he was about to strike, they used the very last of their energy to create and explosion and the three men were enveloped with white light…_

* * *

Tifa was uncertain of what to do now. She had Cloud back and in perfect health, but now Sephiroth was here, unconscious…and in her bed. She refused to put him in the children's room and Cloud completely opposed the use of his own unused bedroom…if one could seriously call it that.

So the last comfortable place for him was Tifa's bed. She was uncomfortable having him in her house, but she was furthermoe uncomfortable with Cloud killing him. When Kadaj took Jenova's remains into himself, the last her power had been exhausted returning Sephiroth to the world of the living. Jenova no longer existed and her grip on everyone she'd ever possessed was gone as well. This included Sephiroth.

Now it was a waiting game. They just had to wait for him to wake up to know if this theory was indeed true.

Three days passed and Sephiroth remained asleep. In that time, Tifa had bunked in the kids' room, which had been great fun for them since Denzel too had recovered from the Geostigma, and the three of them enjoyed their little slumber party. But it wasn't all fun and games for Tifa – or anyone else for that matter…she kept careful watch over her beloved children for fear Sephiroth would wake during the night.

But he didn't.

It was in the early evening when Sephiroth had awakened. Tifa was beside him when his eyes opened. She was busy wiping down the windowsills beside her bed while watching Barret and Cloud play with the children in the yard below. Engrossed in her work, she'd not realized he'd stirred.

When his eyes opened, Sephiroth was met with a grey ceiling, covered with an exposed air duct and a hanging light that was currently switched off. There was another lamp lit further way from him to his right, casting a comforting golden glow about the room. And to his left came in the dimming natural light as the sun began to descend upon the artificial horizon borne from the new and old buildings of Edge. His head was throbbing, though the pain was minor but his eyes stung as he tried to move them. With a soft breath, he turned his head to the side as he sensed the presence of someone else in the room. The aura she emitted was gentle and affectionate, and he knew he was not in any immediate danger. As he cast his gaze on her, he saw his companion. She was familiar to him though he'd not seen in her in years, or so he'd thought. She was at work cleaning dust from the furniture and windows, keeping herself busy as if to ward off any unhappy thoughts for feelings. He could see this in the way her eyebrows her knitted and how her lips were pressed together in a hard line, something he could tell was not her usual expression.

As he watched her, he fought to remember her name. What was it again? It wasn't truly that he'd forgotten her name, but his mind was hazy and little was clear at that point. He was even struggling to remember who _he_ was.

_What was her name? Terra…Tamra…Tina…_

"…Tifa?" Her name rolled off of his tongue as if he'd spoken the name numerous times before. Unbeknownst her…he had.

She snapped her head up at him, startled. Her deep red eyes were wide with shock and she struggled to keep from dashing out of the room. Instead she remained perfectly still, as if she were staring down a snake ready to strike. But as she met his gaze she realized that he was still too weak to be any threat to her. Of course he could be feigning weakness to catch her off guard, but Sephiroth, no matter how wicked a creature he was, did not play dirty like that; he still had his Solider honor intact.

"Tifa…it is you…" He groaned softly, closing his eyes and grimacing from the worsened throb in his forehead.

"Here, let me." Tifa regained her strength and went to his side. Cautiously, she rested beside him on the mattress and reached for the bowl of water and clean cloth she'd been sponging his face and arms with from time to time. She wrung out the soaked cloth and dabbed his aching forehead, hoping to alleviate some of the pain with the cool water. It did help a little bit and Sephiroth was able to relax. As his eyes adjusted to the light and his vision had cleared all the more, the ache subsided. He was still drained though, and his body was sore, but his head was clear.

"Tifa…"

How many times was he going to whisper her name?

"What is it?" She wasn't sure if she was trying to sound harsh or gentle, but she saw him wince at her voice…perhaps he was still in pain.

He lifted his hand, brushing his fingers along her forearm. Tifa yanked her hand away upon contact, but she discovered that he wasn't actually trying to touch her. Instead, he was reaching behind him to pull up the pillows. Once he'd made himself comfortable propped up against the headboard, he pushed his hair back and looked up at her. Now at her level, he was able to see her much clearer. But he didn't look her in the eyes; instead he glanced about the room, recognizing it immediately as a simple bedroom. Initially, he'd thought he was in a hospital, or…to be more precise, a laboratory, but he was showered with relief upon realizing he was indeed in a residence.

Groaning softly as he relaxed his tense muscles, he finally looked into her face. There was a flicker of terror in her crimson gaze, though at the same time there was too a sense of relief, as well as intrigue. She seemed interested in him, interested in what he was thinking.

"Where are we?" He asked, his voice was ever so gentle, quiet…

"In my house." She didn't stutter; she refused to show him any sign that she was afraid to be alone with him. But she didn't sense any kind of danger; he seemed disinterested in harming her.

"Your house." It wasn't a question, but an affirmation. He dropped his head into his hand. "What…what is the date?"

Tifa sighed with slight aggravation, "Do you want the real date, or the Post-Meteor date?"

He snapped his head up at her, "What?"

"It's been two years since Meteor fell."

"Meteor…So it wasn't a dream." The agonized expression on his face was surprising to Tifa. There was remorse in his eyes, sorrow, pain, regret. "…Did many people die?..."

"The death toll was in the thousands." Tifa replied without skipping a beat. "Why would…" She paused mid sentence when a single tear caught her off guard. "…Sephiroth…"

Another tear fell…and then another…

"…And Nibelheim?"

Tifa felt a lump rising in her throat. "...Burned to the ground." She was intrigued to see where this was going; was he sincere, or was he indeed mocking her?

No, those tears were just too real. But Sephiroth doesn't cry…

"And the girl too then…that poor child…"

_Aerith_. Tifa turned away from him then, clapping a hand over her mouth as if to stave off a sob. She didn't want to risk crying in from of him, regardless if he would judge her or not.

"It was all real…" He whimpered softly, as if he could not believe it, "…I thought it was all just a bad dream."

"A bad dream?" Tifa turned back to him. "I wish that's all it was."

"Tifa..."

She shuddered as her name escaped his lips again.

Sephiroth said nothing more. He only continued to watch her, observing her face and the way she composed herself. His eyes drifted across her form, but he was not leering at her; he was in fact only looked at her choice of clothing, the way she wore her hair, even her posture. She had her own gaze planted on the floor, unaware that his eyes were on her.

"You've changed." He said suddenly, almost causing her to jump out of her skin.

"What?"

"You've changed." He repeated. "You're so much more grown up than when I saw you last."

"Surely I haven't grown up so much in the last two years."

"From when I last saw you with my own eyes." He corrected. "I've been under Jenova's influence for so long, I'm not sure what is real. I feel strange, like I've been asleep and been suffering horrid nightmares. But you say those nightmares are real. I've seen myself do things I could never fathom doing. I can and will kill, but in _battle;_ I am a warrior…not a murderer."

"So you blame it on Jenova's power?" Tifa tossed the washcloth back into the bowl as she stood to go to the window, looking down to see if Cloud and Barrett still had the children outside. She contemplated telling them that Sephiroth was awake, but upon seeing them watching the children at play, she decided to wait until they'd had their fun. For the moment, Sephiroth appeared nonaggressive and she had a feeling deep down in her gut that he wouldn't be at all.

"I blame no one; I only suggest that my actions are not my own." He sunk a little deeper into the pillows. "Perhaps though there is a possibility of some dark desire for destruction deep inside of me. I have long speculated that everyone is equally capable of hating as they are of loving." This notion triggered an idea in his mind that sudden resounded through his thoughts like a siren. "You know, you could have smothered me whilst I slept…put an end to me once and for all. Cloud could have killed me just as easily…So why didn't you? If I've wrong you so much and thirsted for your blood so intensely, then why, in my most vulnerable state, have you allowed me to live? Why, in the time we've been talking, have you not called upon your friends to know that I'm awake?"

Tifa's shoulders tensed and she craned her head around to him. He was looking at her through the saddest eyes that she'd ever seen, wet and rimmed red, tired and full of sorrow. His body was weak and he appeared to barely have the strength to lift his head anymore. Without reserve, she went back to the bed and reseated herself on the edge of the mattress. She studied him just as he'd studied her.

His face was softer than normal; his mouth was relaxed in a cupid bow line, his eyebrows arching elegantly, and his eyes half-lidded. His eyes were always portals to tell for her, those glowing green orbs with those long narrow pupils almost frightened her more than the man himself did. But, they were not scary now. His eyes were different. They too were softer, brighter, they still glowed with the bright green of the Mako coursing through his veins, but they were undeniably human eyes. His pupils were round, not slits, and the natural green color of his eyes was not quite to draconian. He no longer looked so monstrous; in fact he appeared quite handsome like this.

Once, a long time ago when Tifa had first met Sephiroth as a teenager, she'd found him physically attractive, and she found his calm, patient, and mildly humorous personality to be just as appealing. In another world, she could have fancied herself as his woman.

But that could not be in this world. The ugly truth behind this handsome man was that he had caused the very hell that she'd lived in since the day he destroyed her home and murdered her father.

"I don't have any other reason other than that as a human and I am equally as capable of love as of hate. I could kill you and be through with you. But I think its more human and makes me a better person to give you the benefit of the doubt and pray that Jenova's power had been purged from you. Just to kill and forget not only is abominable, but it shows my own weakness and destroys the all the goodness that I've been trying to bring to the world, no matter how insignificant and small the amount might be."

Sephiroth smirked and closed his eyes thoughtfully. "You said a mouthful." He opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. "You are a good woman, Tifa…by allowing a wretch like me to live, and to rest in your bed, shows what a loving and kind heart you really do have. Cloud is a lucky man to have you by his side."

This caused a mad blush to erupt at her cheeks. She again tore her gaze away from him. "I wish he knew that."

"What do you mean?"

She held her breath, and contemplated whether she should tell him or not. But what did it matter anyway? "Even after all this, even after accepting that she's dead and gone…he still loves her more than me."

"I apologize."

"Don't. We just weren't meant to be." She felt her chest tighten and her lip quiver.

"But you remain friends?"

"We will always be friends." She murmured before brushing at her eye.

"Tifa…please tell me what happened after Nibelheim?" He changed the subject.

"My world came to an end." She gulped. "I went from being a girl in a mountain town to being a whore in the slums."

Sephiroth turned his eyes back to her, his eyelids had become heavy, and he'd been close to falling back to sleep, but her statement rendered him alert.

"Cloud and Zack were taken by Hojo and were experimented on for five years. I, on the other hand, escaped to Midgar, but I didn't have any friends there and no money…so I sold my body to survive. I'm ashamed of the things I had to do...But I later joined up with Barret and his group Avalanche, they gave me a home."

"I take your friends don't know about that."

"Not at all, not even Cloud knows."

"So why have you told _me_ this?"

"I don't really know." She bit her lip and twisted the hem of her skirt in her hands. "There's just something trustworthy about you." Why in the hell did she say that? Why in hell did she think that of _him? _

"Your secret is safe with me, Tifa." He smiled and rested his hand on hers, a gesture of reassurance. She flinched when he'd touched her, but she did not take her hand away, instead and she let him rub his thumb across her knuckles and he patted the back of her hand before retracting his own and resting it in his lap.

Tifa was somewhat disturbed by him, thought at the same time, she felt a warmth emanating from him. It was what she was hoping would happen when Sephiroth was released from Jenova's power. It was the human side of him she'd wanted to see.

So…this is what Sephiroth was really like.

She'd of course met him prior to his madness, when he'd hired her to guide him and his subordinates up Mt. Nibel. She'd understood him to be respectable, virtuous and kind, a gentle warrior, and the type of man that woman want and other men want to be. This is sort of man that sat before her now.

"So what are you going to do now?" She questioned hesitantly.

"I want to somehow right the wrongs I've committed. I want to fix what I've destroyed." Sephiroth spoke with such sincerity, it was almost heartbreaking.

"It will take a miracle to be able to do that." Tifa scoffed lightly.

"Perhaps. But…can I at least make it up to you?" He gazed at her through tired eyes. "I've done such wicking things to you and your family alone, is there anything I can do for you?"

Tifa was so taken aback by this that she did not know how to respond. She wasn't sure if she should ask him to leave or what…She thought about how lonely she was. Sure, she had Cloud, and she had her children…but she did not have true companionship. The past several minutes she'd spent with Sephiroth were first in so many years that she'd spent just talking to someone. Regardless if he was her fiercest enemy, Sephiroth had sat quietly with her and talked…just talked as if they'd been best friends for years. Even Cloud didn't just talk to her like this, and he _was_ her childhood friend. She raised a hand to her mouth and chewed on her thumbnail as she mulled over her thoughts. She couldn't believe she was actually contemplating…

"You can stay here with me." She said suddenly.

Sephiroth's sleepy eyes widened once more, disbelieving what she'd said. But Tifa had committed to her resolve.

"I want you to stay and live here with me."

"What will your family think?"

"Barret and the others will understand with time, they really care about me…they'll worry, but they will respect my wishes. And…as for Cloud, well, he comes and he goes. More often than not he's gone on delivery somewhere."

"I'm sure this will not rest easy with him."

"To be honest I don't care. This is my house after all. Besides, Cloud is forgiving, if he sees that you really have changed, I'm sure he will be better knowing that I'm being kept safe."

"So that's how you want me to repay you for the damage I've caused? By keeping you and your children safe while Cloud is gone?"

"Yes."

"So be it…I will stay with you. I haven't a home or a family to return to."

"This is your home now; _we_ will be your family."

Sephiroth felt the guilt nag at his heart all the more. But accompanying that remorseful sensation was a feeling of warmth and love.

He closed his eyes and reclined down into a laying position. "Thank you, Tifa."

Tifa adjusted the comforter over him, "Go back to sleep now."

As she turned off the light, she left the room and closed the door behind her.

"You're letting him stay?"

Tifa tensed up and turned around to find Cloud leaning against the wall.

"How long have you been listening?"

"Since he asked how to make it up us. So why?"

She relaxed and crossed her arms, shifting all her weight onto one leg. Her lack of verbal response was proof that her mind was completely made up and will not be changed. After all, she wasn't the kind of woman to say something only to take it back.

"If you were listening then you should know."

"But why him?"

"Because he's not a monster anymore."

"You don't know that, Tifa."

"Yes I do." She spun on her heel and went down stairs to ready the bar for business.


	2. Chapter II: Beginning a New Life

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

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**Change of Heart**

**Chapter II: Begining a New Life**

Sephiroth was unsure of what time it was when he awakened next. It was already dark and the moon shined in through the window, casting a silver glow over him and rest of the room. He groaned as he sat up in the bed, reaching for the lamp to his right. When the light snapped on, he shut his eyes and tore his gaze away. He slowly opened them again and let his eyes adjust to the light.

He looked around again. He'd not really examined at the room when he'd seen it earlier, it was plain and lacked personality. It reminded him of his bedroom growing up at Shinra, a memory that nagged at his stomach. As he turned, he caught sight of a few items sitting on the dressing table. There was a hairbrush, a small cosmetic box, and a picture frame. His eyes were still blurry, still trying to adjust. Leaning against the table, he suddenly felt lightheaded.

As he seated himself on the stool before the mirror, he looked at his reflection. His vision cleared promptly and he stared at his face. It had been ages since he'd seen himself. He was older than he remembered. His face was thinner, sunken in like he'd not received the proper nutrition in years. His hair was also different, his bangs had once been trimmed up to his jaw, but now they hung down to this chest and were thin and scraggly at the ends. His eyes drifted further downward and he noticed that he wasn't wearing his clothes. He was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of shorts. They were a bit tight, but they did their job. He wondered if these were Cloud's discarded clothes; they were about his size and he noticed a strand of blonde hair on the sleeve. As he flicked the hair off of his shoulder, Sephiroth wondered if Cloud donated them, or if Tifa simply took them. At length, he decided on the latter.

Then he took notice of the photograph beside the mirror. It was a photo of Tifa with Cloud and two children. Earlier, he'd mentioned sticking around to protect Tifa and her children, though she'd never actually mentioned having any. He'd just assumed that she'd had children, whether they were Cloud's or someone else's…after all, she'd already confessed to living as a prostitute for couple of years, it's very well possible that they were born from that period of unholy unions. He picked up the picture and examined it closer. So this was his new purpose, protecting this woman and these two children. He was unsure of how he would live with them. How would the children take to him? Even before his fall from grace, kids either idolized him or feared him. Cloud and Tifa both probably taught their children that he was to be feared, that he was the devil incarnate. But perhaps they wouldn't fear him too much. His heart ached and he felt almost nauseated thinking about it, guilt and sadness took him again. There were so many conflicting emotions invading him, and as he thought about the new life he'd be living, he felt them all come crashing down on him. Remorse, excitement, happiness, sadness…and everything else that he'd been void of for so long, melted the ice that remained coating his heart.

Rising from the stool, Sephiroth replaced the photo where he'd taken it and was about to return to the bed when he noticed some clothes folded on the chest at the footboard. Upon the stack was a quick handwritten note…

_Get changed and join us downstairs._

_~ Tifa_

Lifting the garments, he found that it was more of Cloud's old clothes that Tifa had presumably taken. He was grateful to her for providing them and he quickly shed the clothes he'd been sleeping in. The shirt was a black tank coupled with a dark grey button up that he left open over the tank, again they were snug, but he liked how it hugged his muscles. The blue jeans provided were tight as well, but they were too short, so he pulled on his own thigh-high boots and resolved the problem. He took another look at himself in the mirror and decided that he looked alright.

Making for the door, he poked his head out into the hallway and heard noise coming from downstairs. He assumed there was some sort of party and was unsure if he should crash it. But the clothes were laid out for him and the note instructed him to go down. So he stood up straight, invoking his Solider persona and headed toward the jovial roar of voices and music emitting from below. As he approached the stairs, the smell of food and drink took his nose and he felt his stomach gurgle, begging him for something to eat. As his toes met the stream of light that landed on the stairs, he stopped, just barely hidden in the shadows behind the wall. He was sudden overcome with a feeling of anxiety. His heart thundered angrily in his chest and a ball of fear rolled around in his gut. He felt as though he was trembling, and he was. He was unsure if he should continue. He was afraid to face everyone…and he knew, though he could not see anyone from this poor vantage point, he knew that he owed everyone in that room a very severe apology. What was worse was that an _apology_ was less than what was desired. He felt so powerless. He was human again and now, though he had his skills learned from Soldier, he felt drained, weak, as if Jenova's power had been some kind of life support…a crutch for his frail human body to lean on. And furthermore, the dread pooling inside of him caused him to fear what was waiting for him in this room. Were these people celebrating his defeat? Would he be tortured for his sins? His mind was flooding with so many ideas, some even bizarre.

But he swallowed the upset feeling welling inside of him. He took a deep breath and collected himself.

Then he stepped into the light.

Bracing himself for whatever would happen, Sephiroth flinched. But as he held perfectly still with his eyes shut, he realized that nothing was happening. There was no change in the atmosphere, the people continued buzzing with laughter, the music still played and the smell of the food was still filling the air.

He opened his eyes slowly, feeling his pounding heart calm as he looked at the crowd, all of which seemed either disinterested in his presence or were unaware of him completely. Inching down the stairs, he noticed that this wasn't exactly a party, it was a tavern, a place where everyone could go to unwind and let go of all their negative energy. Sephiroth felt a sense of comfort drift over him.

"Oh, there you are!" Tifa smiled brightly as she sauntered through the horde of customers carrying a tray of empty glasses on one hand. She passed him and placed the tray on the bar before grabbing his arm and pushing him onto an empty stool.

Sephiroth was surprised by her cheery demeanor, realizing how utterly different it was from earlier. But, he figured she had to be happy for her customers, even if it was all just an act. He kept his eyes on her as she came back around the other side of the bar and stood with a hand on her hip.

"So…how are you feeling?" Her tone was still light, but was a tad bit harder than it had been when she'd greeted him.

"I'm fine." He answered promptly, hoping to hide his discomfort. Then his stomach gurgled, this time it threatened to kill him if he didn't eat something soon.

"Hungry?" Tifa smirked as she noticed him clutching his stomach.

"Yes." He admitted quietly.

"Alright, let me get you something then."

Sephiroth watched her only briefly as she went off to prepare some food for him. As she began her work at the small stove behind the bar, he was obliged to turn away from her, deciding that it would be rude to keep staring at her. Instead he looked out over the rest of the small eatery, marveling at the number of people so comfortably crammed in the meager space. He knew that the world was different from what it had once been, even though he hadn't yet seen it with his own eyes, he could feel the sorrow and pain that drifted from each one of Tifa's patrons. But somehow, the pain was alleviated from them little by little the more time they spent there. He wondered if this was part of what Tifa meant about bringing goodness to the world…She was attempting to bring something beautiful to the people by providing a safe haven for them forget about the troubles of everyday life.

It wasn't much to look at; it was certainly different from other bars and restaurants he remembered visiting when he was still a renowned hero. But though the surroundings were sparsely decorated and there were boxes and other items of her stock sitting out in view, and the pipes and air ducts were visible, along with bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, this place had a particular charm heightened by the humility of those present. As he eyed each one of the smiling faces and listened to the happy chatter just barely lower than the lively music enveloping them, Sephiroth suddenly felt like this was the most wonderful place in the world. Sure it was ugly and grey, but it was somehow so beautiful at the same time.

He turned back around and rested his crossed arms on the bar.

It wasn't like him at all to think this way. Perhaps it was due to getting another chance at life…another chance at being human. He'd spent seven years under Jenova's control, completely unable to make his own decisions and dream his own dreams. For seven years he hadn't enjoyed anything that he once took for granted. He hadn't been able to sleep, eat, dream, or make love. Now all control over his own body and mind had been relinquished to him, and he was almost overwhelmed with feeling of complete freedom.

Then a plate was shoved into his view. The smell of the food attacked his senses and his mouth immediately began to water. He felt his stomach lurch and beg for the first bite to eat he'd had in seven years. The plate piled up with beef covered in gravy and served to the side was a hearty serving of rosemary-rubbed redskin potatoes and green beans, served with a tall icy glass of water to wash it all down. As he turned his ravenous gaze up to thank Tifa, he realized that it was not Tifa who stood before him. It was a young girl. She was barely tall enough to look over the bar, but Sephiroth could see her clearly due to his own height. She was dressed in a light grey sweater dress and her hair was pulled back into a little braid with a pink ribbon. Sephiroth recognized her from the photograph; she looked like a miniature Tifa and he assumed this must have been her daughter. She had big shining brown eyes that were alight with curiousity, and her lips were pressed firmly together in that same line that Tifa had been guilty of earlier as she concentrated a little to intently on her cleaning. This girl was absolutely adorable, and Sephiroth couldn't help but smile at her.

"Hello." He chirped, feeling his cheeks and lips lift into a smile for the first time in many long years.

"Hello!" She replied brightly, her own smile meeting his. She'd been unsure of him when Tifa had asked her to bring him his plate, but her shyness melted away at his smile. She knew who this man was; Tifa and Cloud as well as her dad and others had all trained her to fear this man, to know him and his deeds, though never to speak his name aloud. But she asked him to say it instead. "What's your name?"

"Sephiroth." He said carefully, as if unsure of if that was really it. "What is yours?"

"I'm Marlene." The child giggled, as if she were giving up the answer to a particularly hard riddle.

"Marlene, huh?" Sephiroth took his fork in hand. "That sure is a pretty name."

Marlene smiled again, her cheeks blushed as pink as her ribbon.

"Marlene," Tifa appeared just then and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulder, "It's about time for bed, Sweetie."

"Right." The girl reached up for a hug and the two of them exchanged kisses as she hurried away. Just as Marlene reached the stairs, she turned back to them, "Goodnight, Mr. Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth just smiled as the girl bounded up the stairs to her room. Finally, Sephiroth took the first bite of his meal. The heat was pleasant and the savory flavor almost locked his jaw in the most exquisite way. He never tasted anything so amazing before, or perhaps it was suffering the lack of food for so long that it made him think it.

Tifa watched him take a few bites before she spoke. "How is it?"

"Delicious." Sephiroth all but moaned.

"I'm sorry Marlene kept you from eating."

"Not at all, your daughter is so adorable."

"Thank you, but she's not my daughter." Tifa pulled out a stool from behind the bar and seated herself.

"Oh, my apologies…I couldn't help but notice her resemblance to you."

She tore her attention from him, "Thank you, come again!" She called out to a group that was leaving.

Sephiroth tossed a glance back over his shoulder and realized how many people had actually left. How much time had actually passed? One moment the room was a beehive of fun and now the population had dwindled to nothing. It was like a bell had gone off and everyone evacuated the building. There were a few stragglers, just downing the last of their drinks before paying their tabs and leaving. Then there were none. He turned a surprised face to Tifa and she gave him a cheeky grin as she went to lock the door and turn the sign to "Closed".

As if reading his thoughts, she said, "Everyone in Edge goes to bed early…they rise early each morning to get to work. It's become like clockwork…my bar is actually open from two o'clock to ten…but most of my patrons only come and stay from six to nine."

"Oh, I see." She started closing the blinds. "They also know that I'm a single mom with two kids. "

"So they have respect for that and leave early anyway."

"You go it." She returned to her place at the bar. "So, about Marlene…"

"I'm sorry, I just assumed –"

"It's alright." She cut him off. "I am her mother in many ways though, but we're not related. Her foster father is my friend, Barret, and I care for her in his absence."

"And your other child?" Sephiroth continued his meal as he listened.

"His name is Denzel. He's mine and Cloud's adoption…But, as I see it, I'm more of a mother to him than Cloud is a father." She sighed softly. "But I guess I'm just biased because Cloud is always gone for his work." She smiled warmly, "He does love the boy though, and he cares for him for than he cares for anyone." Her face fell as she said it, the corner of her mouth quivered and her eyes drifted downward before returning to his.

"And this bothers you."

Her shoulders twitched and her nostrils flared. "Why would you say that?"

"Because you wish that Cloud loved _you _more than anyone."

"That's not –"

"Lying to me won't help; I know it hurts you on the inside."

Tifa slowly rested her head her hand. "Yes it does." She was annoyed with him, but the sincerity in his voice cooled her anger before it rose up in her. He meant no harm; he was just observing and stating the obvious.

Sephiroth sensed that he'd upset her, but he refused to let her go on without talking about it. He knew from firsthand experience that pain, when suppressed, could have catastrophic consequences. He never had anyone he could trust to talk to about his feelings about growing up with no parents and the poor emotions he felt when he saw other children being adored by their mothers. Instead, he bottled up those feelings, packed them down deep inside and hardened himself to them. In the end, when he thought he'd found his real mother, those long suppressed emotions erupted like a volcano. He supposed he wanted to protect Tifa from essentially becoming a time bomb. After all, she did ask him to stay for her protection, so he chose not to limit himself to just protecting her body from physical harm, but he decided in that moment to protect her heart and mind as well. In the short time he'd truly gotten to know this woman, he already knew that he liked her very much and wanted desperately to be her friend.

"It's really none of your business." She straightened up and went around the bar and began to pick up the glasses.

Sephiroth quickly downed the rest of his dinner and carried his plate to the sink before joining Tifa on the floor and started gathering up glasses and used ashtrays.

"You don't have to help."

"But I want to help. It's the least I can do." Once he had his hands full, he went to the sink. "I'll start the water."

Tifa took up the space beside him and started rinsing the suds from the dishes Sephiroth washed. She watched him out the corner of her eye, noticing his softened eyes and the smile raising the corners of his mouth. He seemed content and comfortable in this new environment.

As they silently worked together to clean up the bar, Tifa found herself becoming more and more relaxed around him. Very little else was said between them as they continued working, save for light conversation about random subjects.

"Cloud has Denzel for the night," Tifa began as she placed a cloth on a table, "He's keeping good on a promise for the two of them to go for a ride on Cloud's bike." She finished placing out the clean ashtrays and continued, "By the way, after he brings Denzel home, he's going back out for a few days on a long-distance delivery. You can sleep in his room until he gets home."

"Are you sure that's alright?" The last thing Sephiroth wanted was to cause more problems between Cloud and himself.

"This is my house." She asserted with a smile. "I'll clean out our back room for you this week, and tomorrow we'll go get you some clothes."

Sephiroth nodded in approval. "Thank you."

Tifa wiped her hands and went to the stairs. Sephiroth followed her as she led him up to Cloud's room. She showed him the cot, the bathroom, and the closet where he could find clean bed linens. They said goodnight and parted ways for the night.

After having a much needed shower, Sephiroth made up the cot and laid down. He wasn't exactly sleepy after having been comatose for a few days, but his lack of anything to do drove him to seek more sleep. His mind was awash with thoughts of his new life, and he was almost positively certain that he would find happiness in the near future; he was in fact already feeling the effects of Tifa's tender loving care. He could feel her unconditional love emanating from the very foundation of the building in which they lived. He could feel the happiness that she brought to others and her gift for creating a little piece of heaven on earth.

But he could also feel the despair that radiated from the woman herself. Though she brought so much joy to others, Tifa was buried alive in shame and torment. She was ashamed of her past, unhappy with the knowledge that the man she loved didn't love her, and he could tell that she felt undervalued and in turn unloved. In return for causing her so much agony in her life, he would be the remedy for her pain.


	3. Chapter III: Remaining

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Alright then, we're moving along. Not very much happens here, just some minor details too add a little more character development...I suppose. XD**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter III: Remaining **

When Tifa woke that morning, she was astonished about how good she felt. Even before her morning shower, she was wide awake and energized; after her shower she felt invigorated. Usually she felt tired and achy in the mornings, but today she was ready to start her day and enjoy every moment of it. The bar was closed today, so she didn't need to rush around and get prepped for the few short hours that she had customers, tonight she would kick back and relax with her kids.

As she headed down downstairs, she could smell the savory aroma of eggs and sausage being cooked and she figured that Marlene had gotten up early to make breakfast. But as she rounded the corner, she was met with none other than Sephiroth before the stove. He was staring intently at the egg as it bubbled on the griddle and Marlene's little hand reached over to shove a spatchula into his hand.

It was comical to her to see him wearing her pink apron and she guessed right away that Marlene had forced it onto him. How strange it seemed that such a thing could be possible. She leaned against the doorframe as Sephiroth shoved the spatchula under the egg and flipped it. It was perfect.

With great enthusiasm, Sephiroth thrust a single fist into the air, clutching the spatchula like a sword and dramatically flung the remaining oil into the sink as if it were blood. He had a victorious glimmer in his eyes and Marlene was applauding as if she'd just witnessed the most amazing thing of her life.

Tifa couldn't help but to giggle. She tried to stifle it, but the scene was just too funny. Her nearly hysterical laughter alerted Sephiroth to her presence, and he quickly loaded up a plate and thrust it before her.

"Breakfast is served." He purred earning yet another laugh, this time from Marlene.

"You didn't have to make breakfast." Tifa accepted the plate from him with a smile and took a seat at the bar.

"It's the least I can do, after all you didn't have to let me into your home…or let me live for that matter." He was serious again, all trace of humor and cockiness gone from his face. But what was left in its wake was not a deadly sort of serious. Instead a glimmer of humility and courtesy shimmered in his eyes. Upon turning back to his tiny sous chef, Sephiroth smiled again, "So, are you hungry?"

"Uh-huh!" Marlene affirmed as she watched him load up her own plate as well as his own.

Sephiroth and Marlene joined Tifa momentarily, and the three of them enjoyed their meal quietly. Their silence was not due to awkwardness, but due to Tifa and Marlene's utter pleasure over the meal as they stuffed their faces. Sephiroth relished this moment, glad for being of some service to his new friends. He was appreciative of their enthusiastic reception of the simple meal and was well prepared to make more if they asked it of him.

"So are we going to wait for Cloud and Denzel before we go shopping?" Marlene piped up as she poured three glasses of juice.

"I was hoping they'd be back already." Tifa looked up at the clock as it ticked toward a quarter to nine. "Cloud promised to have him home by eight o'clock."

"I'm sure they're alright, Tifa." Sephiroth soothed, "Don't worry about them."

"It's hard not to when my child is involved." Tifa's bright cheery attitude faltered and she was left with a feeling of anxiety rolling around in her stomach. She rotated her fork in her hand and watched as the second hand on the clock ticked by.

"Calm down."

"I _am_ calm." She barked.

"No you're not." Sephiroth took a sip of his drink; his voice was dark and condescending. "When you're upset you press your lips together and make your mouth into a straight line, and your eyebrows do the same thing. You also have tendency to fidgit. The problem is you do it continuously and you don't even realize it."

"And _you_ are an arrogant bastard."

"My apologies; I didn't mean to offend you." His voice was soft and she heard clearly the deep vibration in his throat as he spoke, it somehow relaxed her.

"I'm sorry, Sephiroth…I'm just…"

"I understand, Tifa…it would be abnormal for a mother to not worry for her child's well-being. But if he is with Cloud, I would not worry. Cloud _is_ the boy's father for all intents and purposes, correct?"

"Yes." She whispered breathily.

Marlene quietly watched the exchanged between the adults. She wasn't positive, but she wondered if Sephiroth was trying to elicit something from Tifa, like he was trying to get her to talk about her feelings. It was a mystery to the girl as to why he would, but she ascertained that Sephiroth could probably sense Tifa's discomfort when Cloud was the subject of discussion…and perhaps he wanted to understand why. She chose to act oblivious.

Tifa was about to speak when the impeding sound of an engine resounded from the garage. Tifa jumped up and was about to head for the door when Denzel bounded inside.

"Tifa!" Denzel ran into Tifa's open arms and hugged her tightly. "I had so much fun! We went to the fair Kalm and then we camped on the plateau!" He glanced over at Sephiroth and froze.

Sephiroth felt the muscles in his back tense up and he wondered from the expression on the boy's face what he'd been told about him. But in an attempt to ease whatever discomfort Denzel might be experiencing, Sephiroth smiled warmly and waved at him, "Hello there."

Denzel only shrank away from him and attempted to hide behind Tifa.

"Oh, Denzel, don't be rude." Tifa scolded gently, running her fingers through his tousled brown hair.

Marlene saw Denzel's reaction to Sephiroth and giggled, tossing her arms around Sephiroth's neck to reassure him that he wasn't to be feared. "Hey, Denzel! Look who's awake!"

Sephiroth appreciated Marlene for saving the moment, and hoped that Denzel would understand.

Denzel was still trying to hide when Cloud walked in. Disheveled and exhausted, Cloud yawned as he tossed their knapsacks in the corner near the stairs. Upon looking up, Cloud received the displeasure of seeing his arch nemesis seated comfortably at the bar and enjoying breakfast like one of the family.

"Sephiroth." His voice was laced with contempt. His eyes flared at the sight of him and he turned abruptly to Tifa, "What the hell is he doing in my clothes?"

"Well, I couldn't very well have him naked!" Tifa snapped. "At any rate, we're all going shopping together as soon as Denzel gets washed up."

"Oh no, you are not letting him near Denzel." Cloud's hands balled up into tight fists.

"Marlene isn't afraid." Denzel spoke up as he broke away from Tifa and went up to Sephiroth who only continued to smile. Denzel stood before him, remembering completely every story and knowing every reason that Cloud despised this man. He knew he should be afraid, but Marlene's smile and the way she was hugging his neck suggested otherwise. "My name is Denzel." For the sake of good manners, he extended his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Denzel, my name is Sephiroth." He shook hands with him, much to Cloud's dismay.

Tifa smirked at Cloud and shifted her weight to one foot, placing her hand on her hip. "So what's your excuse, Cloud? Why are you late?"

"We overslept." Was his monotone reply as he trudged upstairs.

With a heavy sigh, Tifa followed Cloud to his room.

"Cloud, I know it's difficult to understand why I let him stay and I know you must hate me for it."

Cloud stopped in the middle of the hall and dropped his head, looking at the floor. "I don't hate you, Tifa…I just hate the decision you made. I'll ask you again…why?"

"Does it matter what I say? You'll either not believe me or not understand." She crossed her arms around herself and breathed deeply.

Cloud turned around and looked at her pained face. "Just when I've decided my friends were enough…now it seems you've become lonely too."

"This was not sudden…I've always felt alone." She thought she was about to cry. "I was hoping that when you accepted Aerith's death that you would realize how I feel about you."

"How…you…feel…" Cloud knew what she was about to say, but he chose to let her speak.

"Oh, damn it, Cloud!" Tifa bit back her tears and spoke from her heart, "I love you so damn much I can't stand it!"

Cloud felt his own heart break at the sight of her. "Tifa…"

"There…I said it." After all these years, she was finally able to tell him. A strange feeling came over her then, it was surprisingly pleasant; the sensation of a weight being lifted off of her chest.

"I'm glad you did, Tifa." Cloud approached her cautiously. "I always knew that you had feelings for me, and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't once have feelings for you. But when I grew up I realized that while I really love you…I'm just not _in_ love with you."

"I know that, Cloud." She exhaled, "I just wanted to say it out loud just once."

"It's good that you did." His eyes shimmered with tenderness and Tifa knew that even after her confession he still cared. "But…what does loving me have to do with Sephiroth?"

Tifa's eyes widened when she realized that they'd digressed. "Oh…um…" She pushed her hair behind her ear, "…He's staying to watch over us while you're gone."

"Oh, I remember." He recalled the conversation when he'd been eavesdropping the evening before. Cloud continued on into this room, closing the door.

How anticlimactic.

Tifa hadn't expected the conversation to turn out like that. She'd hoped that when she finally told him she loved him that he'd tell her the same. But that's not what happened. Instead, he just rebuffed her and let her down the best why he could, the worst part being that they both knew what the other had to say before they said it. Perhaps that was why it didn't amount to anything…they were nothing more than friends…and that's all they would ever be.

Without lingering any longer, Tifa slowly meandered downstairs were she found Sephiroth back at the stove, making a spectacle of preparing eggs again. The children were laughing at him and seemed uninterested in their parents for the moment, and Tifa was certain that Sephiroth was doing it on purpose so that they wouldn't try to follow them upstairs.

Sephiroth knew that Tifa and Cloud needed to talk. He'd been awake for less than a day and yet he was all too aware of what was going on. It was unnerving to her, but at the same time she was pleased; it saved her the trouble of trying to explain it.

"Alright you guys, don't be wasting all our eggs." She reprimanded playfully. "You use them all up, you'll be the one to buy more."

"Aww, come on, Tifa, we've got like twenty dozen in there…and I'm hungry." Denzel moaned.

"Cloud didn't feed you before you came home?"

Denzel just shook his head and shrugged as he turned back to receive his breakfast.

Tifa wasn't at all surprised that Cloud had neglected to feed their son…_typical_…She fought back the urge to storm back upstairs and pound Cloud's head in, instead remaining in the doorway until the three returned to their seats. What she saw when they sat down was nothing short of beautiful. Sephiroth with Marlene and Denzel…they looked like a family together. It was strange to see her children with her enemy, behaving as if nothing bad ever happened. Her ears tuned out their voices as they spoke to one another, her attention only focused on the glittering eyes and cheery smiles that graced their faces. Her heart pattered in her chest when she thought about the subtle, yet strange amount of joy Sephiroth's presence had unexpectedly brought. A part of her had feared that letting him stay was a dreadful mistake, but now she was certain that this had been a good idea. Only less than a day and Sephiroth already knew more about her than any of her close friends did, he'd given her a minute amount of comfort and provided her children with a small degree of entertainment, and somehow she had a feeling that this was only the beginning…

She blinked.

Tifa almost jumped out of her skin when she realized she'd been spacing off. How long did she daydream? Denzel was just putting his plate in the sink, so it definitely wasn't too long…but…She shook her head and put on a smile. She went to the bar and stood at the end, clearing her throat.

"Alright everyone, so are we ready to go out today?"

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Sephiroth affirmed with a nod.

"I'm ready too!" Marlene sang out; and Denzel just nodded positively.

"Okay then, let's go!" She started for the door before pausing. With a heavy sigh, she trudged back to the stairs and called, "Cloud, we're going now! See you later!"

There was no reply, so without further ado, Tifa grabbed her pocketbook and headed out the door, the rest of her troupe in tow.

Sephiroth was met with a slight shock as he followed Tifa and the kids down the street. This city they called Edge was built around a ruined mess he quickly recognized as the once great City of Midgar. Once a thriving metropolis, Midgar was now reduced to rubble and the new city was not so much _thriving_ as it was _surviving_. He looked all around himself at the people littering the streets. It was a bustling city, he'd give it that much, but he could feel the overwhelming sense of sadness and despair emanating from the citizens. He saw the homeless begging, not for money, but for food…he saw the painstaking labor those with jobs had to bear. He noticed the dreary living conditions and the lack of fresh meat in butcher shops and the few vegetables that produce vendors had to offer. Upon this realization he instantly understood why Tifa was so upset about him preparing so many eggs. True she had dozens of them in her refrigerator…but they needed to last for a long, long time. He understood completely about Tifa's home, why it was far less glamorous than other bars and clubs he remembered from Midgar and why she had so few possessions in her living quarters. Apparently only the essentials were focused upon. He knew at least, that the children had toys and games to play with – as Marlene had shown him their room earlier that morning – and his heart felt sore to realize that Tifa showered her children with frivolous things whilst she and Cloud lived without. He supposed she just wanted them to be happy, as would any good mother…His heart ached still more upon this thought…how he wished he'd had a mother to give him such love.

Sephiroth paused on the sidewalk.

Tifa continued ahead several feet before realizing that he'd fallen behind. She stopped and turned back, finding him standing perfectly still, staring at the ground.

"Sephiroth." She called out just loud enough for him to hear.

He slowly dragged his eyes up to meet hers, and as he saw the tender smile curving her lips, he felt the pain weaken and he rushed to catch up with them.

Tifa allowed the children to run ahead of them as they walked.

"What were you thinking about?" She inquired softly.

"Nothing."

"Don't give me that." Tifa ordered, "Please don't be like Cloud."

Sephiroth's heart skipped a beat and he decided that if he wanted her to talk about her feelings, then he should discuss his own. "I was just thinking about my mother…or…my lack thereof."

Tifa's own heart jumped at this but she didn't say anything, she just listened.

"I was thinking of how much you love your kids and how no one ever loved me like that."

Tifa gulped and swallowed the hard lump in her throat. Reaching out, she grabbed his arm and made him stop. "You don't have to worry about that anymore…I'm certainly not your mother, but as your friend, I'll do what I can to fill that void."

He looked into her eyes and took in the view of her sincerity…her soul was as beautiful as her face. "You don't have to do that."

"No, I don't…But I want to."

Without another word, Sephiroth allowed her to lead him toward their destination.

The shop was another secondhand place, like all the others that they'd passed along the way, but Sephiroth was not turned off by it. In fact, when he entered, he found it to be quite charming. There racks of clothing and numerous mismatched items donated or sold to the owner for resale. Tifa instructed him to rummage through the merchandise and pick out what he wanted, she insisted he not worry about the prices or how much he took, just as long as he intended to use them.

Nonetheless, Sephiroth felt awkward about her spending her hard earned money on him, but he was in dire need of clothing…It wasn't long until he'd make his selections and they were headed home.

When they got back, Tifa found Cloud's bike gone and she knew he must have gone to work. They weren't gone that long and he'd already left; she was hoping he'd stick around to give hugs to the children before he decided to go. Perhaps, he was so upset with Sephiroth's presence there that he didn't want to stick around anymore. She decided his behavior wasn't ridiculous, but she'd hoped he'd have respect for her decisions...Barret trusted her enough to allow Marlene to continue to stay there without his supervision, but she supposed that Cloud leaving Denzel at home could be likened to it. However, it was his manner that offended her.

"Cloud is gone?" Denzel uttered with disappointment as they went inside.

Tifa felt his anguish and put her arms around him. "He had to get to work, honey. He'll call you later, I'm sure he will. Besides, you just spent the entire night with him."

"Yeah, but…" He trailed off, not knowing a good comeback.

"Why don't you hang out with me tonight? We'll eat junk food and watch TV." She tried to cheer him up, but the boy only nodded sadly and followed Marlene up to their room to play. It broke Tifa's heart to see her son be so sad. "Cloud is always gone on deliveries…but sometimes I think he's just avoiding us."

Sephiroth nodded when she looked up at him. "Is he ever home for more than a day?"

"Not really…he's usually out. I was hoping that after the crisis with the stigma and your clones was over that he'd come home to stay…but duty calls you know. It's only been a few days since then…but life goes on, we just have to pick up where we left off."

Sephiroth was instantly slapped in the face with another reminder of his unconventional childhood. Living without a _father_. Even though he knew Cloud wasn't the boy's _biological _father, he knew that Denzel looked up to him like he was. He observed in the few hours he knew the boy that all he wanted was to be with his dad; that less than a day of father-son bonding time was just not enough. Sephiroth's father was a deranged lunatic, hell-bent on creating superhumans and monsters rather than paying attention to his child…To Hojo, Sephiroth was not a so much a son as he was a lab rat. He was well aware that this wasn't the case for Cloud and Denzel; Cloud loved Denzel with all his heart, but he knew that Denzel also felt neglected by him. He suddenly had the desire to comfort the boy and be a father figure for him in Cloud's absence, but he didn't want to overstep any boundaries. After all, Sephiroth was already on thin ice with this family and considering the limited time he'd been there thus far, it was much too bold of him to make such a move.


	4. Chapter IV: Midnight Wish

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Alrighty then, let's get going!**

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**Change of Heart **

**Chapter IV: Midnight Wish**

"So what movie should we watch?" Marlene giggled as Tifa arrived upstairs with the popcorn.

"Oh, I don't know…Sephiroth, what do you think?"

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows at them and looked at the shelf which held their meager selection of films. It certainly wasn't much to choose from, not to mention that he didn't recognize any of them. He never really had the time or the liberty to enjoy visiting the cinema, nor did his Shinra apartments come equipped with a television. But still, Sephiroth scanned over the unfamiliar titles and something he _did_ recognize caught his eye…

"I _cannot_ believe they actually made this into a film!" He laughed out loud as he picked up none other than Loveless. He hated Loveless - not because it was a bad story, quite the contrary; he enjoyed the plot immensely - but his old friend drilled it into his head so often, that he grew absolutely sick of it. But, perhaps his ill will has faded.

"Oh, yeah, that's Cloud's." Tifa acknowledged. It had once belonged to Zack, who'd purchased it for the sake of examining the plot to better understand Genesis and his motive… he hated to read…Cloud had later attained some of his belongings, this movie along with them. "Is that your choice?"

"I suppose; it's the only one I know."

"Loveless? I like that one." Denzel said quietly as he entered the room. He looked like he'd been crying, his eyes were rimmed in red and his face was flushed, dry trails of tears streaked his cheeks.

"Denzel." Tifa rushed to him and gathered him in her arms. "Oh honey." She pulled him close to her bosom and he started to cry anew. "Now, why are you crying?"

"I want Cloud to come home. H-he hasn't called yet."

Marlene grabbed the bowl of popcorn and showed it to Denzel. "Hey, Denzel," She teased, "I have the kettle corn, if you don't cheer up, Sephiroth and me will eat it all!"

The boy's eyes widened, oh how he loved popcorn…especially the sweet kind. He tore away from Tifa's breast and chased Marlene around the room as she tried to play "keep away" with the kettle corn. Their incessant laughing relaxed Tifa's nerves over Denzel's sadness; she was glad that Marlene was so talented at saving the day.

Sephiroth cautiously reached out and touched Tifa's arm. Abruptly, she turned to him and met his gaze. He was smiling at her, as if to say, _'It'll be alright'_.

She nodded and took the video cassette from him and went to slip it into the VCR.

"Ok, you two." Sephiroth grabbed the children gently but firmly by the arms and shoved them onto the couch. "Let's calm down."

Marlene and Denzel were more than cooperative as they placed the bowl of popcorn between them and shared it. Tifa however was prepared for this, and left for the kitchen, returning momentarily with a back up for her and Sephiroth to share.

As the four of them sat quietly to enjoy the movie, Sephiroth was overcome with a feeling of belonging. Not but days earlier, regardless of his will or not, he was ready to kill every member of this family...solely for the purpose of destroying Cloud's faith and will to live. But now this family was under his protection and they were accepting him as a member of their household. He sat in the middle, with Denzel and Marlene to his right and Tifa to his left, with whom he shared a bowl of piping hot popcorn. He couldn't explain the how odd, yet how wonderful it felt to be with them this way, simply enjoying a moment of frivolity with all the fighting behind them.

The movie, however entertaining, was long and drawn out, and eventually Denzel and Marlene had fallen asleep. Denzel had slumped against Sephiroth's shoulder and he put his arm around him, letting him nap as the adults finished the film to completion.

As soon as the credits began to roll, Tifa placed their empty bowl on the coffee table and switched off the TV, letting the tape continue to run until the VCR began to rewind.

As she turned around to take the other bowl from the children, she found Denzel cuddled innocently against Sephiroth's side. Sephiroth looked up at her with his own sleepy eyes before following her affectionate gaze down to the boy at his side.

"I wish he wouldn't fall asleep out here." Tifa whispered, "Soon, he'll be too big for me to carry to bed." She began to reach for him, but Sephiroth stopped her.

"No, tonight I will carry him." He eased him off of his shoulder, as he stood and upon taking on a solid stance, lifted the growing boy into his arms. Denzel didn't even stir; he was dead to the world. Even so, Sephiroth was careful not to wake him, and spoke to Tifa most quietly, "I will be back for Marlene in a moment."

"Nevermind; I've got her." She took the girl close to her, resting her head on her shoulder, and following Sephiroth into their bedroom.

Sephiroth allowed Tifa to enter first, watching her as she gently laid Marlene onto her bed. He followed suit and placed Denzel ever so softly onto his mattress. Thankfully, both children had already changed into their pajamas so they were not faced with the hassle of trying to undress them while they slept. Tifa had already finished tucking Marlene in when Sephiroth was still hovering over Denzel. He looked like he was trying to read the boy's thoughts, like he was trying to see what he was dreaming. She was puzzled at what Sephiroth was really doing as he sat down on the mattress and touched Denzel's forehead, pushing back his hair and skimming his thumb along his brow.

"He was afflicted." It wasn't a question. His voice was quiet and dark, full of despair. Tifa nodded, even, though Sephiroth wasn't looking at her. It was a statement that didn't really require a response. "Here…there was a contusion on his forehead."

Tifa only stepped closer and sat down opposite him. She didn't speak; she only wanted to listen.

"I knew when he first touched me that he had the Stigma. This boy is special, so special…You're a very lucky woman, Tifa, to have a son like Denzel. You know, there was a brief moment when I thought I wanted to have a family." He finally looked at her. "It was a flight of fancy…I'd never considered it before but then one day I woke up and decided I wanted to have a wife and children too, "He smirked, "But that idea was gone as soon as it appeared in my mind. I'm not the marrying or fathering type." Sephiroth stood up and straightened up the sheets a little more before he headed for the door.

Tifa was right behind him.

"I'm sorry, Tifa, I didn't mean to ramble."

"Why do you think that?" Tifa asked suddenly, as they walked down the hall.

"I just don't think I'd be good at being a husband and father. I'm a fighter, not a lover."

"Could've fooled me." Tifa elbowed him in the ribs. "You are perfectly capable of loving, Sephiroth. That much is for sure."

"Oh? Perhaps I haven't noticed."

"Perhaps not. But it typically begins with an attachment to something…or a fondness for a person. "

"Like my fondness for you?" Sephiroth had only meant it as an example, but he earned a blush from Tifa's cheeks.

"Yeah." She waved him down to the bar. "What can I get for you?"

"Just a glass of water." He muttered softly.

"Come on, Sephiroth, you can do better than that." She prodded playfully.

"Alright then, a gin and tonic."

"Now you're talkin'!" Tifa wasted no time in preparing the drink. "I'm glad you like my kids…especially Denzel." Her tone once more turned serious. "I'm worried about him."

"Why is that?" Sephiroth took delicate sip of his drink, anticipating the angry burn of the alcohol scorching his throat; years without such had made him sensitive to it.

"Since Cloud is never home long enough to really be with him, I'm worried that he might grow up to resent him." She started rising out the pots and pans from their dinner. "He needs a permanent, constant male figure in his life. My friend Barret would be more than happy to stay with us, but he needs to work too to provide for Marlene. When he gets his affairs in order and builds up enough funds to support her, she's going to move out and…" She trailed off, her heart stinging at the thought of Marlene ever leaving her.

"Is this the real reason you wanted me to stay?"

Tifa raked back her hair and closed her eyes as she started scrubbing a tough spot from the skillet. "I just want somebody to talk to. I hate being alone. I don't know why I'd pick you of all people…but there was just something in your eyes."

"Don't worry Tifa. As long as I'm around, you'll never be lonely again."

"Sephiroth…Th-thank you."

They lingered for a few more moments before retiring back upstairs. Sephiroth once more slept in Cloud's room and Tifa promised to clear out the spare room for him the next day. He looked forward to bedtime, for some reason feeling absolutely drained. As he lay down, he had very little time to do any pre-sleep thinking before passing out.

Tifa, on the other hand, was wide awake as she turned for the night. She thought she was tired, but as soon as her head touched the pillow, she was no longer sleepy. She tossed from side to side, searching for that perfect position to lie in. But no matter how many times she rolled over, she just couldn't get comfortable enough. Her body was starting to get achy and her mind kept racing. Her heart was throbbing with such angst; it felt like it was going to burst.

_Cloud._

She just couldn't stop thinking about him. She couldn't stop thinking about the conversation they had earlier that day. Finally, she'd confessed her love for him, and he just shrugged her off like it was nothing.

"Heartless bastard." She moaned as she rolled over again. "Why do I love you so much?"

Tifa took to staring at the ceiling, and it wasn't until that moment that the reality of her situation sunk in for her. The one man she loved above all else didn't love her back the same way. She had spent her entire life up to that point pining away for him only to discover that she'd wasted it all on someone that doesn't even want it.

Her heart finally finished breaking. Tears flooded from her eyes, her body ached all the more, and her heart was in so much pain she thought she was dying. She didn't bother hold it back, she just let it all loose, there was no sense in putting on a strong exterior when she was sitting alone in the dark.

Sephiroth rolled over in the dark, finding he heard something through sleep. It was a soft mewling, not very loud, but it was there. He thought he was dreaming it until his eyes fluttered open and he sat up. He listened closely, searching for the source of the noise. Hearing it again, he recognized it as crying. Thinking it was one of the children; he quickly headed for the door and dashed across the hall. When he entered their room, he found them both sleeping soundly, still tucked in just as he'd left them. He carefully shut the door and this time headed for Tifa's room.

He stood there at her door, unsure if he should enter or not. He could clearly hear her crying and felt the need to see to her, but he fathomed it unwise to just barge in uninvited.

With unsure fingers he grasped the knob and slowly opened the door.

Tifa heard the squeak of the hinges and quickly sat up. She could see the tall broad silhouette of a man standing there, the glow of the mako that still coursed through his veins lit up his eyes and she knew it was Sephiroth.

"S-sephiroth…" She breathed softly. "What are you doing?"

He shut the door behind him and came closer. "I heard you crying."

She turned away from him as he sat down the side of the bed. "I'm sorry to wake you. You didn't have to come."

"Isn't it my job now? Since I'm your protector?"

Tifa drew her legs up to her chest and rested her forehead on her knee.

"Why are you crying?" He remembered her asking Denzel the same question only hours prior.

Tifa didn't answer immediately; she just closed her eyes and kept her head down. Sephiroth didn't prod her anymore. He waited calmly and patiently for her to speak.

"I love him…" She whimpered.

"Cloud?" He scooted closer to her.

"I just don't know what to do."

"You should tell him."

"I did…I told him today…but he…He rejected me."

"Tifa…"

"I just…"

"How badly do you want him?"

"I want him to want me so much he can't stand to be away from me! I _wish_..." Her chest started hurting again, and more tears flooded out of her eyes.

Sephiroth grabbed her and brought her close to his chest. He let her cry on him, holding her tightly, to give her some small about of comfort. She let loose her emotions, just letting it all flood free.

"I've never been in love before…so I have very little idea of what it's like to desire someone…or be so intensely desired. But if it hurts this much then why do you insist upon it?" His voice was so soft, almost ghostly as he petted her hair.

Her trembling hands gathered fistfuls of his shirt as she sought out an answer. "Because," She sniffed, "when the other person loves you back, it's the most wonderful feeling in the world."

Sephiroth smoothly pushed her back, minding her hair as he rested her head on her pillow. Drawing the sheets up around her chin, he knelt at her side. "Just sleep now, Tifa…I promise you'll feel better again in the morning."

"Will you stay until I fall asleep?"

"Of course I will."

Without another word, Sephiroth reseated himself on the side of the bed and watched over her like a guardian angel.

* * *

**LOL! I know, I used _Loveless._ Call it cheesy, but I wanted to give Sephiroth something he would recognize and relate to. XD **


	5. Chapter V: Lilies

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Sorry for the delay, I've had a few health issues, but I appear to be back up and running! I'll try to keep updating in a more timely manner.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter V: Lilies**

Tifa lifted a large box and handed it to Sephiroth. "Will you take this down too?"

They had spent the better half of the morning clearing out the spare bedroom and they still weren't quite done. Tifa had filled with the supplies for her bar, but she and Sephiroth were steadily moving everything down to the garage.

"Will there still be enough room for Cloud's motorcycle?"

"I'm sure there will be."

They stacked everything as close together as possible to provide room for Cloud's bike.

"There isn't much more to go." She assured as she marched back upstairs. "We'll get you settled in no time."

"I'm not in too big of a rush if you wish to rest. Or I can finish it myself." Sephiroth offered as she paused to catch her breath.

"Not a big deal. I can keep going." Tifa continued down the hall with a little more "umph" in her stride.

Sephiroth was surprised. Just the night before she was wallowing in a puddle of her own misery, but today, she had pep and a lot of energy. He was glad that she appeared to be happy at least, regardless if she was just pretending or not. Without further ado, he followed behind her.

Tifa was right; they had the room cleared out in almost no time at all. Now it was nothing but a clear slate, a blank canvas for Sephiroth to with as he pleased. Tifa had an old bed and dresser, both of which Sephiroth found suitable for his use. She also provided a small table and a neighbor donated an old arm chair that would otherwise have been trashed.

He placed the full sized bed in the far corner with the dresser against the opposite wall. The table went to his bedside as a nightstand and the chair went beneath the window. It was a simple set up, but it was perfect for him.

"All we need now is a few things to give this place some life." Tifa observed brightly as she surveyed his arrangement.

"Like what?"

"Well, we could put up some curtains and get you a table lamp for your nightstand, and perhaps a few flowers."

"Where would we get flowers?"

She remained silent but placed a hand over her mouth, as if she'd just said something blasphemous. Sephiroth turned to face her. He wondered if he'd somehow upset her by asking such a question, but she only turned her head to the side and smiled.

"There's church in Sector Five, where flowers grow." She explained. "It's Cloud's favorite haunt, but I'm sure he won't mind if I give you some."

"Only if it's alright." Sephiroth didn't want to offend Cloud anymore than he already had.

"Sure it is. I'll go now." Tifa did an abrupt about face and headed down the stairs. As soon as she hit the landing, she called up to him. "Come on, Slowpoke!"

Sephiroth was surprised that she wanted him to accompany her. He adjourned down to the first level, following her into the bar. "What about the little ones?"

"They'll come with us." A sensible solution. "Come on let's go."

The children were playing outside, and Tifa called them to join them as she grabbed Sephiroth's arm. Sephiroth felt his heart beat against his breast bone as she clung to him. Oh course she was probably just letting the public know that he was alright to be around, lest anyone recognize him. But…Sephiroth wondered if she wasn't trying to say something else…more than likely, she was living out a fantasy she kept hidden away in her heart; she probably dreamed of walking with Cloud like this, but he didn't allow her to clutch to him. Sephiroth was obliged to allow her this small pleasure, but he also hoped that this public display also discouraged other men from trying to get near her…not because he wanted her for himself, but because he didn't want her to be harassed by others. However, at the same time, he was certain that this would impede on her ability to find a lover should she give up on Cloud. Not a chance! He smiled at the feeling of her hands around his arm. She was warm and he appreciated how near she was so comfortable being.

"We're almost there." Tifa chirped.

The children ran ahead of them, seeing the bell tower of the church above the ruins surrounding it.

When they rounded the mass of debris, Sephiroth was met with the seemingly impossible sight of a town completely destroyed with one building standing. The church was grand, beautiful, and appearing pure and unscathed by time. But as they approached, Sephiroth saw that it was indeed in disrepair, but it was no less remarkable for it. It had a rare beauty all its own, regardless of the state it was in. He could feel a strange spiritual energy emanating from it, a powerful aura that was almost visible to him.

The children ran inside, unphased by the majesty of the structure. Tifa released his arm and continued in after them. Sephiroth was of want to follow. He did not touch the steps; he gazed up at the striking building, bathing in the energy that showered over him. He felt like he was not welcome there, that he was unworthy of entry.

Upon realizing that she'd left him outside, Tifa poked her head out the door to find him still having not ascended the steps. The expression on his face was like that of a damned soul that staring longingly at the gates of Heaven.

"What's the matter?" Her voice was like that of an angel, and Sephiroth blinked once before casting his gaze down to hers.

"I was…just admiring the church." He sighed, before taking the first step. He'd halfway expected to burst into flames as he set foot on this hallowed ground. But he did not. Instead he continued up step after step until he reached his friend standing in the doorway. He took one more glance at the large door before entering.

Once he entered, was aghast at the sheer glory of the church. The sunlight spilled in through the windows, bathing the room with a hundred heavenly colors. There was a gigantic hole in the floor, and instead of foundation and earth beneath, there was a pool of the cleanest, clearest water Sephiroth had ever seen in his life. The light danced on the surface of the sparkling water and produced a dazzling reflection long the walls and columns. Beautiful white and gold lilies sprouted in various areas around the pond, creating an amazing ethereal ambiance.

"This place is magical…" He uttered in awe as he took in the beauty surrounding him.

Marlene giggled as she ran around the side of the pond to gather the lilies.

"Marlene, please be careful!"Tifa cried, fearing the girl might stumble into the water.

Denzel meandered around the edge of the pond, staring into the crystal water. Squatting down, he touched his finger to the glassy surface, creating little ripples. He seemed to be staring into nothing, as thinking desperately hard about something very important. Sephiroth went up behind him, the boy knowing nothing of his presence until he saw his reflection in the pool. He looked at Sephiroth's face, only to avert his gaze.

"What's the matter, Denzel?" Sephiroth knelt down beside him, and sighed heavily as he tried to make sense of the child's behavior.

"This is where I was cured." Denzel muttered. "I was hoping that after I got better that Cloud would stay home."

"You miss him desperately."

"Yeah."

"He's only been gone for two days." Sephiroth found it difficult to grasp the logic of this sort of longing. Unbeknownst to him, even two days for a child is nothing short of an eternity. "Besides, it's not as if he'd abandoned you; he's only working."

"But…he could at least call…" Denzel flicked the water.

Sephiroth sighed indignantly. "He'll be home soon."

"But he'll only leave again." The boy plucked a flower, twirling it between his thumb and forefinger.

Sephiroth reached over and ruffled his hair. "You know…_I'm_ here to stay. You can lean on me and I'll listen to anything you might want to talk about."

Denzel looked up at the man that had sought to destroy the world and found a sense of peace and serenity in his face. There was a glitter in his eyes that said _I'll be here, I'll protect you_. He was like a guardian angel.

"You promise?"

"I swear it."

Denzel handed the flower to Sephiroth, who accepted the gift graciously. In that moment, he knew he'd won the boy over. It was a moment of triumph for Sephiroth, and he silently gloated about slowly befriending Cloud's family. But, this victory only shimmered inside of him for a moment before it vanished; the mortal rivalry between them had all but evaporated.

Denzel got up and ran around the other side of the pond where Marlene was busy gathering flowers. Sephiroth watched them for a moment before his gaze drifted over to the mangled altar at the back of the room. Instead of the effigy of a deity, there stood a different sort of symbol of faith. It was a sword, thrust into the earth beneath the floorboards, standing sentinel over this holy place. It was a blade that Sephiroth recognized all too well.

"Cloud's sword?" He was speaking to anyone in particular, but Tifa answered him.

"He put it there, but he didn't said why." She explained quietly, as she if were afraid the children might overhear. "But, since that sword once belonged to Zack and this church was Aerith's favorite place…I guess he thought it belonged here. He's accepted that they're gone…but deep down, I don't think he's really forgiven himself for letting them die." She snorted, "It's not like it's really his fault anyway."

Sephiroth dropped his head and sucked in a harsh breath through his mouth, "Tifa…I'm sorry…"

"Don't say that." She gulped down the hard lump in her throat. "We've all got something we regret. You…and Cloud…and me…" Tifa continued looking at the sword, not daring to look into his deep viridian gaze full of sorrow. "Living full of guilt and full of vengeance never did anyone a bit of good. I know that better than anyone. I lived my entire adult life imagining your demise and wanting to set everything right…but it brought me was more pain. Forgiveness is so much better, I think."

"I understand only your desire for revenge against me…but what about your guilt? What are you so guilty about?" Sephiroth wanted to put his arms around her, but he dared not touch her.

"I'm guilty about Denzel. It's because of me that he's an orphan." Tifa bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

"You?"

"Because of Avalanche...ShinRa collapsed the Sector Seven plate to crush us. Almost everyone that lived on the plate and in the Slums died. Denzel's parents included. When Cloud brought him home, I knew it was my job to take of him…I knew that it was the only way to atone for it."

"But it's not your fault…Just like it's not Cloud's fault that his friends died." Sephiroth's legs quivered, as they couldn't decide on whether or take a step forward or backward.

Tifa finally looked at him. "I suppose you're right. But I still feel I owe it him to be the best mother I can be."

"Then think of it this way…That you were blessed with a son and a chance at motherhood, rather than cursed with a reminder of your guilt."

"I don't think of him like that."

"Lying is futile." He reminded her as he touched her arm ever so gently. "You do think that way, but that doesn't necessarily mean you love him any less."

Tifa dropped her head before looking back up into his face. "Let's go home now." There was not irritation or anger in her voice, and her lips managed to find a smile.

"Did the children get enough flowers?"

"Yes."

As Tifa stared at him, she felt her face become warm and she feared she might be blushing. But even if she was, Sephiroth didn't mention it. Instead he called the children back over and they came running with their arms full of flowers. When they headed out, he offered her his arm and escorted her back to the bar.

"Aren't you worried that people might get the wrong idea?" He asked nonchalantly as they retraced their steps through the city.

"What do you mean?"

"They might think we're together. Doesn't that bother you?"

Tifa's back tensed up and her hair stood on end. But she relaxed again immediately. "Not really. I hadn't even thought about it." She smiled. "It doesn't matter anyway, we know the truth."

Sephiroth nodded, somehow feeling a little put off by her reply. But he couldn't trace exactly why.

They continued home in silence.

Upon returning, Marlene was more than excited to start decorating Sephiroth's room with the flowers. She and Denzel quickly began filling mason jars and empty liquor bottles with water and placing them in various places around the room.

"Wow…I think we went a little overboard, don't you think so?" Tifa giggled as she inspected their work. "Are you sure there were any flowers left in the church?"

"Oh yeah, definitely!" Marlene laughed out loud. But then she thought, "Do you think Cloud will notice we took so many?"

"I'm sure it'll be alright." Sephiroth patted her head.

Marlene smiled brightly and nodded positively.

"Alright, so how about we take some of these lilies downstairs?" The truth was, Sephiroth wasn't so fond of having so many flowers in his room, but he didn't want to upset her by saying so. But she was happy to remove some of the jars and use them to brighten up the bar.


	6. Chapter VI: Lingering Pain

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter VI: Lingering Pain**

Sephiroth stretched languorously as he rolled over in bed. He was so comfortable; he didn't want to get up. The curtains that Tifa had put up blocked out the sunlight just enough for the room to take on a comforting sepia glow. He yawned and felt like he should be getting up, but he was just too comfortable to move.

Opening his eyes, he stared at the ceiling, thinking about the evening he'd have. Through the week, Sephiroth had watched how Tifa ran her business, and though she'd not complained, he still felt like he'd been freeloading. So tonight, he'd start earning his keep and begin work in the bar. He felt a little excited about it; it would definitely be something new for him. All his life he'd been trained to fight and his only employment had been as a Soldier, so to begin a new life he found it necessary to have a new job. Tifa had promised to give him his own paycheck at the end of each week though advised him that it would be nothing compared to his salary provided by ShinRa. But he assured her that he didn't care.

But as the faint scent of breakfast wafted up the stairs, he was lured out of bed. He didn't bother to dress; instead he remained in his grey stretch pants and meandered down the stairs. As he rounded the corner, he found Tifa hovering over the stove, frying up a few strips of bacon. The kids were already finishing up. They were both dressed very nicely, Marlene in a lacy pink dress and Denzel in a green button up shirt and slacks. Sephiroth was intrigued by this and wondered what was up.

"Don't forget your lunches, you two." Tifa called as she handed them two brown paper sacks.

As the children took the bags, Marlene noticed Sephiroth standing in the doorway. "Sephiroth!" She giggled as she ran up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "We're going to school now!"

"Oh? Well I hope you have a good day." He patted her head and looked up at Denzel who approached. He appeared cautious, like he was wondering if he should go up to him. He seemed especially upset this morning, like he didn't really want to go to school.

Sephiroth smiled and put out his hand, coaxing him to an embrace. He hugged the boy tenderly, ruffling his hair and squeezing him extra tight. Denzel felt a little better after this, but his stomach still twisted with disappointment. "Have a good day, Denzel." Sephiroth's voice was so warm and sincere and Denzel felt like crying. But he didn't.

"Thanks." The boy whispered softly before waving at Marlene and the pair gave Tifa a kiss and hug before running out the door.

Tifa yawned as she turned back to the stove. "They just opened the new school. Today is the first day they'll have gone to school in two years. I forgot to tell you." She seemed a little depressed about it.

"Does this upset you?" Sephiroth grabbed the loaf of bread and slipped two slices into the toaster.

"No…They need to go to school. But…"

"You'll be lonely without them."

"Yes. I know I have you…but I…" She turned off the stove and tossed the bacon onto a plate.

Sephiroth sighed almost dreamily, "The pain and joy of being a parent. You can't stand to be parted from them for even a moment."

Tifa groaned under her breath and sat down with a plate of bacon for them to share. Sephiroth's toast popped up as if on cue and he offered her one of the slices.

"So did Cloud ever call Denzel?"

Tifa's face suddenly flushed with anger and she huffed heavily as she crossed her arms, chomping on a bit of bacon. Sephiroth felt his hair stand on end and he wondered if he should've remained silent. But at length, Tifa responded.

"No. He didn't." She grabbed another slice and viciously ripped it apart with her teeth. "He even promised he'd be home to see them off this morning, but so far he's been a no-show."

_Good for nothing bastard_, Sephiroth wanted to say out loud, but for Tifa's sake he didn't. But he was stunned when she said it for him.

"Son of a _bitch_." It was unlike Tifa to say such a thing, especially about the man she loved, but she was so angry she didn't care about watching her mouth. "It's one thing to break his promises to _me_, but to lie to a child…especially his son…" She felt her eyes water at the thought.

"Tifa, it'll be alright." Sephiroth took a chance and rested his hand upon hers, half expecting her to pull her hand away. But she didn't, instead she turned her palm upward and let her fingers mold around his.

"H-how did you get to be so kind?" Tifa finally broke down in tears.

Without a second thought, Sephiroth was at her side. He pulled her against his chest and let her cry. She didn't try to resist him; she just let it go like she did a few a nights prior. This was the second time this week that he'd let her weep upon his breast, that he'd held her and caressed her hair, let her unleash all her pain and suffering through her tears.

"Why do you yearn so for someone that makes you suffer like this?"

Tifa slowly lifted her head from his shoulder and looked into his face. Through blurry eyes, she peered meekly at him, her face so close she could feel his breath beating down on her. Sephiroth held her head gingerly between his hands, her red cheeks warm against his fingers. She looked so vulnerable…so delicate and so beautiful. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

"What would make you feel better?"

Tifa leaned forward once again, hiding her face in his neck and resting her hands on his chest. She relished the warmth of his body, providing her with such comfort she'd never experienced. He rested his cheek on her head, wrapping his arms tightly around her shoulders, and brushing his fingers along her arm. "For you to make the hurting stop."

"How?"

"I don't know." She turned her mouth against his shoulder, as if trying to stifle her sobs.

"You need to stop crying like this." Sephiroth whispered against her ear. "How many times are we going to do this?"

Tifa didn't answer; she only continued to tremble and hold her breath. She didn't want to burden him with her suffering, but she didn't want to let go of him.

"Tifa… Answer me."

"I don't know…just…please make it stop…"

"You're tired. You need to go back to bed." He pushed her back and leaned down to hook her legs over his arm.

"No…"

"Come on."

"I can walk."

"No, let me." He carried her back up to her bed.

It was almost eight o'clock, but Sephiroth was certain she'd not gotten enough sleep. He could see it in her behavior, in her reddened eyes even before she began to cry. Tifa didn't protest anymore. She curled against him and let him do as he pleased. He tossed back the sheets and let her lie back against the pillows. She didn't realize how tired she was until she laid down. She allowed Sephiroth tuck her in and she returned to sleep without any more prompt.

Sephiroth watched her for several moments until he was satisfied she was sleeping soundly.

"What to do now?" Sephiroth wandered back downstairs and stood once again in the doorway. It was quiet. Too quiet.

With the children gone and Tifa napping upstairs, he felt like he was alone in the building. He padded carefully over to the bar and stood behind the counter looking out over the small floor. He remained there for a few moments, and then noticed the plate of bacon that still sat at the end of the counter. He'd not touched any of it, so with nothing else to do, he finished off the rest. Then after he'd washed the dishes and wiped down the stove and back splash of grease and oil residue, he started cleaning the bar and tables. As he'd finished with that, he grabbed the broom and began sweeping.

So this is why Tifa always cleaned regardless of how clean everything already was…She was _bored!_

As he swept toward the far end of the room, he heard a faint rumble from outside, but paid it no mind, assuming it was a passing vehicle. But as he returned back toward the door to the garage, the door burst open, almost hitting him in the back. Jumping out of the way just in time, Sephiroth spun around and came face-to-face with Cloud.

Cloud jumped back a step, having not expected Sephiroth to be there. They stood there, staring each other down, ready to launch at one another any moment. But Cloud slowly inched to the left, closing the door behind him while still maintaining his distance. He eyeballed Sephiroth for a moment before his gaze drifted down to the broom. Cloud said nothing as he headed for the stairs.

"The children have already gone to school." Sephiroth said suddenly. "Denzel was very upset that you weren't home to see them off."

Cloud stopped and turned around, approaching him with long heavy strides. "What's it to _you?_" He was all too condescending. "My family is none of your business."

"Your family…" Sephiroth scoffed as he returned the broom to the closet, "…You don't care about them."

"Shut up…" Cloud growled. "You know nothing. I love them more than my own life!"

"You've got a strange way if showing it! Why didn't you bother to call your son while you were gone? Why did you miss his first day of school? Why do you make Tifa suffer?"

"What?" Cloud was stunned. "Suffer?"

"Tifa has cried almost every day since I've been here. It's unbearable to see how miserable she is…She wants you so badly that she can't even sleep at night…" Sephiroth shook his head and took a deep breath, turning away from Cloud.

Cloud narrowed his eyes at him, shifting his weight from his right leg to his left. Sephiroth was definitely different from the way he was before. He was even more sensitive and human than he was before his fall from grace. His face was twisted in a disgusted yet concerned expression. "So what is it to you?"

"Tifa is my friend, the only friend I have in the world. All I want is for her to be happy and so far I have only seen tiny glimpses of the way she should be. I just want to make her pain go away." He faced him again. "You know, last night she asked me to make the hurting stop. And I want nothing more than to fulfill her wish."

Cloud swallowed hard and sighed heavily, "You're in love with her."

Sephiroth's eyes flared and he took step back. "What?"

"You're in love with Tifa." Cloud suddenly felt like laughing. "If you didn't you wouldn't care so much…"

"Is that right? You think I wouldn't care about her happiness if I wasn't in love with her?"

"Did you just admit it?" Of course Cloud was patronizing him. "Or are you trying to deny it?"

"Yes." Sephiroth hissed before ascending the stairs.

Sephiroth paused outside Tifa's room, debating whether or not disturb her and let her know that Cloud was home. But he opted to let her sleep, returning to his own room to escape his nemesis.

It wasn't until Sephiroth was safe in the comfort of his bedroom that he realized he'd been bested by Cloud once again. Sephiroth had questioned Cloud's feelings for his family, only for him to turn tables back on him without Sephiroth ever getting his answers. The blonde one was smoother than he'd remembered. He clenched his fists and tried to fight the down the anger welling within him. Releasing the negativity with a breath, he grabbed the small watering can and began to water the flowers from Aerith's church. He'd found several old flowerpots in the garage and decided to see if the flowers would live longer if put in soil. They'd taken root almost immediately, as if they had a will of their own, accepting their new home with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Cloud lingered in the bar for a moment longer, thinking about his conversation with his enemy. He conceded that Sephiroth had a point…He had been neglectful as ever, as if nothing had happened last week. One would've imagined that this latest misadventure regarding Sephiroth, his Remnants, and the Reunion with Jenova would have brought Cloud and his family closer together. But that's not what happened. Things were almost exactly the same, the only differences being that Cloud had come to terms with Aerith's demise, and he and Denzel no longer stared their own deaths in the eye.

It was then that he noticed the jar full of flowers at the end of the bar. Miraculously, they'd stayed fresh throughout the week, but Cloud knew their age from the petals that had found their way to the countertop. Somehow, Aerith's lilies were able to survive in a vase of water for a month at a time until they slowly began to wilt, the only evidence of their mortality being the few petals and leaves that fall off from time to time.

Tifa often allowed Marlene and Denzel to steal a few flowers from the church, and he didn't mind at all that they took them. But as he went up to his room he noticed a few petals blew out from under the door of the spare room. He paused for a moment, kneeling down cautiously to peer under the door. It was bright in there, and he noticed it had been cleared out and furniture added. It was Sephiroth's room now; he could see his legs from where he was and also caught a view of not one, not two, but _five_ _pots_ of Aerith's flowers. And they were thriving in there. It sickened him to think that Sephiroth had been nursing them and more so that they were being kept in his room. He didn't care that Tifa kept flowers in her bar or if the children had them, but it disgusted him to know the majority of them now belonged to Sephiroth of all people. But Cloud supposed that he was glad that Sephiroth was taking care of them at least. He was about to get up when he when he heard Sephiroth start talking to the plants.

"Do I love Tifa?" He asked the blossoms as he lifted one of the pots from the floor and placed it on the windowsill. "Marlene told me the other day that flowers can tell you if someone loves you, but can you tell me if _I_ love someone? Cloud told me I do…" Sephiroth slapped his forehead and laughed indignantly. "What the hell am I doing? I'm actually asking a plant for advice." He flopped down on his bed, "Perhaps I should talk to Tifa after she wakes up."

Cloud slowly eased himself off of the floor and crept into his room, hoping that Sephiroth didn't notice him.


	7. Chapter VII: Introduction to Change

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. There's way more dialogue in this one than I'd intended, but I hope it's not too redundant for anyone. Again sorry for the late update, I've been planning a wedding and it's taking a lot of my free time. Anyways, here we go! XD**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter VII: Introduction of Change**

Tifa yawned as she brushed out her long dark hair, feeling a little better now that she'd had some decent sleep. However she did feel a little grumpy from having slept her entire morning away. It was about eightish when Sephiroth had carried her back up to bed, and now it was two thirty in the afternoon and the children would be getting home in an hour or so.

"Hmm…I wonder what Sephiroth's been up to all day." She muttered as she wandered out to the hall. On the hunt for her companion, she checked the living room and upon finding it empty, tapped on his bedroom door. But that minor effort turned up nothing, so she headed downstairs.

Entering the bar, she found not Sephiroth, but Cloud sitting a table with a glass of whiskey. He was staring at it, as if expecting it to sprout arms and legs and start dancing. Tifa stood still as a statue.

"Cloud…you're home." Her heart leapt in her chest and she dashed across the room, feeling like she'd not seen him in years. She wanted to hug him and kiss him, but that's not what happened. Instead, she restrained the urge to toss her arms around him, and put on a calm mask as she sat down beside him.

He continued to stare at the half empty glass, not bothering to acknowledge her. Tifa gulped heavily as she gazed at his face, trying to read his thoughts. But he was indiscernible.

"I didn't forget about the children, Tifa." Cloud finally mumbled, tapping the bottom of the glass with his forefinger. "I just thought it was Monday when they went back. Who the hell makes the first day of school on a _Friday?_"

Tifa just shrugged and slouched back in the chair. For a moment, she'd almost forgotten about it, as if Denzel's heartbreaking disappointment was just a bad dream.

"Denzel will never forgive me." Cloud leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and dropping his face into his hands. "I-I've been such a terrible dad to him…I don't know what to do. You know Tifa, when we took him in I made a promise to myself that I'd do everything I could to protect him, and make his life happy. But…now I think I'm in over my head."

Tifa didn't know what to day. She leaned forward, also resting her elbows on the table and rested her head on her arm. She watched him continue to stare at the glass.

"I'm not drunk, just so you know." He suddenly blurted out. "I haven't even had a sip."

Tifa still didn't say anything, but she looked up and scanned around the bar. She leaned back as if to get a better view but they were alone.

"Sephiroth went to the grocery store to get some more eggs and bacon…I guess he felt bad that he used them up." Cloud answered her silent questioning. "I think he's also getting another gallon of milk too." He finally took a sip of his drink. "Do you want some?"

"No." Tifa hung her head. "The children will be back soon. I don't want to be intoxicated when they get home, and besides I have to show Sephiroth how to run the bar tonight."

"Run the bar?"

"I've hired him to help me out." Tifa grabbed the bottle of whiskey and returned it to the shelf. "I'm going to have to start charging you for this." She sighed with a smile.

"I'm sorry." Cloud groaned as he took his glass and made for the stairs.

"It was a joke, Cloud. Besides, you bought the bottle." Tifa tried to smooth over her comment, hoping she didn't offend him.

Cloud turned back to her, "Tifa…"

"Hmm?" She raised her eyebrows as she acknowledged him.

He looked thoughtful a moment, as if he were about to say something deep and serious. He wanted to tell her about how he thought Sephiroth felt about her, but he suddenly felt like it was a bad idea.

"N-nothing…it's not my business." He continued upstairs.

Within moments, Sephiroth walked in with a couple of grocery sacks. He wasn't expecting to see Tifa standing at the counter, but he was pleased that she was awake. Tifa smiled at him when he entered, genuinely happy to see him. Coming around the bar, she reached out to take the bags from him.

"Cloud told me you went to the store."

"Yes. I was afraid I'd be recognized. But I don't think anyone really paid attention to me." He laughed a little at that. "How was your nap?"

"It was good. I feel much better." She nodded brightly, but it was clear to Sephiroth that something was bothering her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"What have I told you about lying?" He went up behind her as she put the groceries away. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he caused her to pause in her work and she turned her head to the side, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"Cloud is upset." She said finally, dropping her head. "He's tearing himself apart because he missed the children this morning."

"I know, he told me just before I went out."

She turned to face him. "You talked?"

"Yes, we almost had an altercation this morning when he got home, but about an hour ago, he found me again and he told me how upset he was with himself."

Tifa was stunned. "Why in the world would he tell you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Sephiroth released her shoulders and leaned against the wall. "Once upon a time, Cloud idolized me. Once, he cared about me. There was a time when I was like an older brother to him. Delving deep in to his memories, his psyche, and even in his heart, I suppose he found those old feelings and took a chance at trusting me with his thoughts."

"Perhaps…That's what _I _did." She found relevance and probability in this. Tifa guessed that perhaps Cloud had attempted to follow her example, but she hadn't expected him to.

Sephiroth shrugged, taking a few steps back and taking a seat on the other side of the counter. "It's very unlike him though."

"So are you looking forward to tonight?" Tifa changed the conversation to a lighter subject.

"Absolutely, I'm excited to start pulling my weight." Sephiroth perked up at the thought of working.

"I'm glad…Not because I think you've been lazy, but because I think it'll be good for you…I think it'll be good for us."

"Us?"

"Yeah." She smiled sincerely. "It'll be fun and it'll make it easier on me. Marlene's always helped out, but I worry about having my children around drunks on a nightly basis."

"That's not healthy, Tifa." Sephiroth shook his head. "It's a good thing I'm here then."

She suppressed a giggle. "I know it's not, but she always begged me to let her help. And most of the time she helped me even without my permission."

The corner of Sephiroth's mouth tugged up in a grin. He observed her carefully as she started wiping down the already clean countertops. She was stuck in a rut, he'd discovered. Tifa was clearly caught in a routine that left her repeating the same actions on a daily basis. Changes such as his sudden residence there and the children going to school didn't alter it so much, so it was clear to him that she needed more change. He'd hoped that helping her at work would make a difference. He wanted to help get her out of this ditch she'd fallen into. He didn't want to radically alter her life, but he wanted to slowly introduce minor changes to her schedule in an attempt to make her life more interesting and perhaps help to break her out of her depression. It was a good approach, he'd thought.

When children ran in that afternoon, Marlene couldn't have been more excited to give an account of her day. But Denzel on the other hand, was still too depressed to be so sociable. Marlene was right the little chatterbox when she ran up to Tifa, but Denzel trudged past without so much as a 'hello'.

"And where are you going, young man?" A deep voice inquired as he tried to escape upstairs. Denzel turned his sorrowful green eyes up to Sephiroth who sat the table nearest the hall, enjoying an afternoon snack.

"To my room." Denzel sighed as he started to turn away, but Sephiroth caught his shoulder.

"Come sit with me." He guided him to the chair beside him. "Tell me about your day."

"It was ok."

"Just ok? Marlene seems pretty excited." Sephiroth observed as he motioned to the young girl across the bar talking Tifa's ears off as she was busy getting the place prepped for business.

"Marlene's never been to school before…I never liked it at all." Denzel pouted, resting his elbows on the table.

"So what happened today, did you meet any new friends?"

"No _new_ friends…just the same kids I've already met." He really was trying to avoid being cheerful.

"Then it mustn't have been too bad, since there were familiar faces." Sephiroth urged gently, trying to break his dreary mood. "What is your teacher like?"

"She's ok."

Sephiroth was growing upset from Denzel's lack of conversation. He desperately wanted him to open up to him, to let him know what he wanted. But Sephiroth was sure he already knew; Denzel wanted a fulltime dad, someone who he could connect with and to be his best friend, someone who he can confide in. Sephiroth wanted that roll, the reason though wasn't very clear, but he desired the privilege nonetheless. But Denzel wasn't having it.

The boy was just shutting him out. Even after their little encounter in the church, and their seeming growing connection over the last week, Denzel was suddenly starting to shut down. It was suddenly clear that it wasn't just Tifa's life Sephiroth needed to impact. He needed to do something amazing for Denzel as well.

"There's somebody here for you." Sephiroth said, hoping to illicit the boy's curiosity and excitement.

Denzel perked up and Sephiroth could clearly see the moment when his heart skipped a beat. The boy tensed and is legs jerked. "You mean…"

"He's in the garage." Sephiroth smiled as Denzel jumped up from the chair and ran for the garage door.

Denzel burst in to find Cloud tinkering with his bike. "Cloud!"

Cloud shot up from the floor, his face lit up when he saw him and opened his arms to him. He scooped him up and hugged him tight to his chest. Denzel buried his face in Cloud's neck and clutched tightly to him, as if he were afraid he'd disappear if he let him go.

"Denzel, I'm so sorry."

Denzel didn't respond, he just hung on to him. Cloud could feel him trembling and the wet spot growing on the collar of his shirt. With a heavy sigh, he took a couple steps back and sat down on the saddle of the motorcycle. He cuddled the boy and rocked him back and forth in an attempt to calm him down. He knew he'd hurt his feelings.

"You didn't even call me."

"I know…but pay phones are hard to come by, you know?"

"In that case we need to work on getting you a new cell." Tifa said from the doorway.

Cloud's eyes flicked over to her. "Yeah, I know." Cloud remembered having lost his phone in the Forgotten City almost two weeks earlier.

"How much did you get for this delivery?" She questioned almost accusingly.

"How much did I get in full or how much profit?"

Tifa crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, "Profit."

"Well, let's see…" He quickly figured his cost in fuel and wear on his bike, "…about a couple thousand gil."

"Oh, good!" She bounced on the balls of her feet and clapped her hands together once. "Then you've got plenty to go buy a new one!" Her voice was loaded with sarcasm.

Cloud was certain from the get go that he'd pissed her off, but she took long enough to start showing it. Tifa was the slow quiet type; she doesn't act mad at first, but after a while she'll start her almost methodical acts of revenge.

Tifa strutted up to them and ruffled Denzel's hair, causing him to lift his head. He looked up at her with watery green eyes. Tifa offered a comforting smile, her own eyes soft and motherly.

"If you could have anything you wanted for dinner…Anything at all, what would you have?"

Denzel thought for a second, "Anything at all?"

"Absolutely anything." She assured him.

"I want…a big huge juicy steak with a side of broccoli and mashed potatoes." A meal like that was pretty expensive, especially in these hard times.

Tifa smiled triumphantly, proud of her child for conjuring up such a wonderful food fantasy. She turned in back to Cloud, who looked like a deer in headlights. "You heard him. Now be a good father and feed your hungry son." She waltzed out before Cloud could protest.

Tifa laughed maniacally on the inside. _Living_ for revenge amounted to nothing, but taking it immediately on a whim was just too much fun, especially because no one got hurt.

"Sephiroth, Marlene, get cleaned up. Cloud is taking us out to dinner."

Sephiroth looked a little disappointed. "What about the bar?"

Tifa halted as she started for the stairs. "We won't be gone all night, it's only three forty-five, we'll be home before our customers start coming in."


	8. Chapter VIII: Ask Again Later

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter VIII: Ask Again Later**

Cloud trembled in his boots when he looked at the prices on the menu at the restaurant.

_24.00 gil for grilled chicken? Are these people nuts? Who in the world can afford something like that?_ Cloud's mind spun with everything he wanted to say aloud but didn't. _Who am I kidding, _I _can afford it every now and then, but…we really need to keep watch on how much we spend...Who cares…they deserve it._ He looked at his family, including their newly acquired resident and sighed heavily. "You guys get whatever you want."

"Wow really?" Marlene chirped excitedly as she scanned over the array of meals to pick from.

Sephiroth tore his gaze away from the menu and looked around at the restaurant. It was certainly a world away from anything he saw in Edge. The five of them borrowed a neighbor's truck and took a 30 minute drive to Kalm where the steakhouse was. This city was lively and didn't seem to show any sign of poverty or hardship, in fact the people there seemed happy and comfortable. It was a mystery to him as to why anyone would want to live in Edge when another thriving city was so close. The building wasn't extravagantly decorated, but it was beautified with rosy bouquets upon white table cloths, and lit gas lamp sconces adorning stone walls with dark wooden rafters stretching across the ceilings. He glanced at the people around them, noticing how well they were dressed and understanding why Tifa was so particular about all of them looking neat and clean.

When it was time to place their orders, Denzel and Tifa were all set for their steaks, while Marlene and Cloud ordered the grilled tilapia, but Sephiroth however ordered something simpler and less pricey…

"Just some spaghetti please."

Tifa leaned over and whispered, "You know, you could've gotten something else."

"I know, but I didn't want to impose on Cloud." He said loud enough for his blonde rival to hear across the table. "He's been kind enough not to complain about me staying…"

Cloud instantly felt a pang of guilt strike his gut. He knew Sephiroth was trying to get to him, and it was working. Tifa, on the other hand, was flattered by this 'kindness'.

Dinner went without a hitch, however when they left, Sephiroth asked Tifa a question that had been plaguing him since they arrived.

"Why don't you live here? Why Edge of all places?"

The group stopped midstride. Cloud stood there, with his back to them, his face twisted with a painful expression.

"Well…um…it's…just that Midgar was our home, and despite the hardship, we still love it there." Tifa explained, sensing Cloud's sudden uneasiness.

"Oh, I see." Sephiroth was content to just leave it at that, but Cloud shook his head.

"You know that's not the whole truth, Tifa." He finally turned around.

"Cloud…not now, please?" She begged softly, not wanting to cause a scene.

"Why not? He wants to know why we don't live here." Cloud strode up to him and grabbed his shirt collar, yanking him down so they were face-to-face. "Someone lives here…that I have to gather so much strength to face every time I go to meet her, but you know…_Sephiroth_…I just realized it's not really my problem…it's not my obligation to apologize to her…"

"What are you saying? Who is this person?" Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at him and grabbed his wrist, tearing his hand way from his shirt.

Cloud wavered a moment before replying. "Who do you think?" Cloud grabbed Denzel's and Marlene's hands and started toward the truck.

Sephiroth was at a loss. He's not expected Cloud to react in such a way, and he turned to Tifa for answers. He said nothing, but asked silently with his eyes what Cloud meant. Tifa gulped down the lump that formed in her throat and took his hand, squeezing his fingers tightly before leading him back to the truck to return to Edge.

The ride home was awkward. Everyone remained silent, unsure if they should speak or not. Sephiroth sat in the cramped backseat with the children, both of them clinging to his arms in an attempt to silently apologize for Cloud's behavior. Tifa watched Cloud out the corner of her eye as he drove, his face was contorted with anger and he could feel her eyes on him though he dared not look at her.

When they finally made it home, Tifa had barely enough time to open the bar before customers began to flock inside. It was a full house tonight and she couldn't have been more excited to get Sephiroth started on his first night of work.

"Alright, Sephiroth, let's get started!"

Sephiroth asked no questions; he'd observed her long enough to understand what to do. He was on the floor in a flash, taking empty glasses and full ashtrays. Once the kids washed the dirty glassware, Tifa refilled the glasses and dumped the ashtrays, and Sephiroth retraced his steps, using his enhanced memory to accurately redistribute the items to the customers. The four of them worked like a well oiled machine, almost like an assembly line, if you will. Collect, scrub, rinse, fill, disperse, repeat. The operation was more than efficient. Tifa however had every intention for the children to not have any part in working the bar, but they somehow managed to slip their way into helping out anyway. Sephiroth thought it was funny how they pouted theatrically to help, using their adorable faces and watery eyes to tug at Tifa's heartstrings until she gave in.

"You look busy tonight." Cloud said as he wandered behind the counter near Tifa.

"You think?" If words could have physical impact, Cloud would've just been slapped in the face.

He knew that Tifa was upset with him, but he hoped that she would've calmed down after dinner. But no, she was still mad.

"Look Tifa, I'm sorry about the kids…" He really picked the worst time to talk.

"I'm not mad about that." She snapped as she was busy mixing up drinks and running the tap.

"Then…what are you upset about?" Cloud grabbed her hand and tried to make her look at him.

"Cloud, can't you see that I'm busy?"

Tifa's sudden cry made the children, Sephiroth, and a couple of patrons look up. She quickly put on a smile and apologized to her customers before loading the tray for Sephiroth to take. Sephiroth was quick to give Cloud the evil eye, warning him not to upset Tifa anymore than she already was. Cloud locked gazes with him and returned his own silent threat to do the same. Cloud left her alone and sat down at one of the rear tables, as he did each night he was home, to make his presence known.

Tifa noticed him out the corner of her eye. Whenever Cloud was around during open hours, he'd sit in that same spot and behave like a badass. She stifled a laugh. Before, Cloud was the alpha male here, he did invoke a sense of authority and most guys took heed that he wasn't to be messed with and they tended to keep in line more often than not. But Sephiroth was here now, and in comparison to Sephiroth, especially in height and build – not mention that death glare – Cloud wasn't quite so threatening.

After several minutes, Sephiroth approached Cloud. "Do you want anything?"

Cloud remained silent for a moment before answering. "Whiskey, on the rocks." Sephiroth nodded and started away, "…Make it a _double!_" Cloud called out.

Sephiroth hissed and continued toward the bar.

He was about to tell Tifa what Cloud wanted, but she'd already poured the glass.

"It's the same every time." She reminded him as she placed the glass on his tray. "By the way, ask him if he wants to pay cash or start a tab."

Sephiroth initially thought she was joking, but there was no humor in her voice or her face. She really was angry about something, and he doubted it was entirely about the kids. So he took the drink and returned to Cloud who waited patiently for him.

"Do you want to open a tab?"

"I don't pay for my drinks." Cloud growled as he took the first sip.

With a sigh, Sephiroth hastily produced a notebook and wrote up a receipt. "You do now. Tifa said so."

Cloud again looked like a deer in headlights. His huge blue eyes got even bigger, and he gulped as he looked at the paper that Sephiroth placed on the table. He stole a glance at Tifa who put off a venomous vibe.

"Why is she upset?"

"I don't know, perhaps you should ask."

"I tried to…"

"…Ask at a better time, she's busy right now." Sephiroth urged quietly as he turned away from Cloud.

When the last of the crowed finally filtered out, Cloud went up to the bar. Tifa tiredly lifted her eyes to him for a brief second before her gaze fell to his hands where he produced some cash from his wallet and tossed it before her. He then took another handful and dumped it into her tip jar.

"Thank you, Sir, have a good night." She said shortly as she snatched the money out of view and turned away from him.

"I'm going to take the kids to bed." He mumbled, staggering toward the stairs.

"Sephiroth already took them…" Tifa breathed, "…drunken bastard…"

Cloud wanted to turn back and argue with her, but he didn't. The fact of the matter was, that he was indeed drunk…Drunk enough he'd apparently completely lost track of time. He was a mess and he knew it. But he did turn back to her, not to argue, but to ask again.

"What are you mad about?"

She released a guttural sigh as she tossed some flatware into the sink. "You really had to bring it up didn't you? You just _had_ to go there tonight."

"You're not the only one he needs to make amends with."

"Go away, Cloud." Tifa shook her head in exasperation.

Moments after Cloud retired, Sephiroth appeared to help Tifa clean up. She tossed her head up at him, as if she were about to start yelling, but she stopped short. Sephiroth paused as their eyes met and he thought he glimpsed tears in her eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"Uh…y-yeah…" She started wiping down the counter tops.

Sephiroth only nodded, grabbing the broom from the closet, but he went back to Tifa when he heard her sob echo across the bar. He rushed to her side as she braced herself against the wall. He gently gripped her shoulders and turned her around, letting her lean on his shoulder once again.

"Cloud…was talking about Elmyra." She breathed.

"Who?" The name was completely meaningless to him, but obviously, it meant everything to this family.

"Elmyra Gainsborough…She is Aerith's foster mother." She lifted her head to peer into his face.

"Her…mother?" He felt his heart leap in his chest.

"She lives in Kalm." Tifa wiped her eyes and continued with her work. "You know, there was a brief moment when I thought that Cloud and I had something together…when I thought he wanted to be with me." She shook her head with shame and looked upward, as if she were gazing toward the heavens. "But…then Elmyra asked him to deliver a bouquet of flowers to the place where he 'buried' her…that's when he receded into himself…that's…that's when he left me… "

Sephiroth unconsciously placed a hand over his mouth, as if he were trying to stop himself from speaking. He didn't dare look at her. He felt his own sense of shame drape over him in a dark haze and it made him feel somewhat ill.

"So…as he blames himself for her death…he finds it necessary to constantly apologize to her mother."

"That's right. But now I guess he thinks you need to do the same."

Sephiroth finally turned around, "I think he's right."

Tifa stopped and listened.

"I need to visit Elmyra…I need to tell her that I'm sorry; just like I did with you."

"What will you say?"

"I'll cross that bridge when it comes."


	9. Chapter IX: In The Memory of The Living

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter IX: In The Memory of The Living**

"I'm going to go apologize to her." Sephiroth said as he met Cloud in the living room.

"What?" Cloud was stunned by his sudden remark. He'd been sitting quietly on the couch, doing a little reflecting, as one might say. He would often sit in deep thought, contemplating his life, but the last thing he thought of was Sephiroth saying something like that.

"Tifa told me about Elmyra. She and I are going to Kalm to visit her; Tifa's already asking your neighbor to borrow his truck again." Sephiroth wasn't sure if he was telling Cloud this to settle his nerves and ease his conscience, or if he was doing it for own benefit. Nonetheless, he felt the need to let him know what he was up to.

"Tifa is going with you?" Cloud was at a loss of what to say to him.

"Yes, she will be at my side when I tell her." He looked wistful for a moment, "She gives me such strength…I don't think I could do it without her."

Cloud scoffed, "I still think you're in love with her."

"Why do you think that?" Sephiroth sighed and stretched his arms and crossed them behind his head.

"I just get a weird feeling." Cloud replied simply before getting up to go to his room.

Sephiroth was about to leave until Cloud reemerged. He had an envelope in his hand, sealed and addressed to Elmyra.

"Give this to her, please?"

"Of course." Sephiroth accepted it and hid it in the pocket of his jacket. He and Cloud look one last glance at one another before parting ways.

"Are you ready?" Tifa called as she pulled up in the truck. Sephiroth was already locking the door. He jumped the stoop and landed gracefully on the pavement beside the vehicle.

"I am if you are."

He was nervous; Tifa could tell as he slid into the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt. She could almost feel the tension soaking his body and his aura was saturated with apprehension. She noticed his jaw twitch and his hands ball up into fists. He was trembling, almost as if he were angry about something. But that's not what Tifa sensed from him. He was scared to see Elmyra, uncertain of how she will react to him. She also felt this way, nervous about what would be said, if Elmyra would accept his apology. She'd telephoned her to let her know she'd be visiting, but she neglected to tell her why. Tifa's own stomach knotted with anxiety, hoping that Elmyra wouldn't be angry with her.

The two of them tried to ease their own nerves with idle conversation, talking about work, the children, or simply relating random funny stories. They did everything they could to keep from thinking about their destination, about what would happen once they reached Kalm. However this was in vain.

"Do you think she'll listen?" Sephiroth breathed once the city was in view.

"I don't know. She's always willing to listen, but she's still a grieving parent…"

"I know."

Sephiroth's heart was in this throat when they entered Kalm and it threatened to strangle him once they pulled up to her house. It was a lovely cottage, hidden within other houses, all of them almost identical. The differentiating factor being the flowers populating planter boxes in the windows. It was undeniable; they were the same flowers that grew in the church.

They stood outside the house, staring up at it as if it were some great obstacle in their way. However, the only obstacle was their own apprehension. Sephiroth gulped down the lump in his throat and reached out to grab Tifa hand. She suddenly felt her own heart pound in her chest as she gently pulled him up to the door. Gripping his hand tightly and keeping him close to her, she tapped on the wooden door. The sound echoed the beating of their hearts as they waited.

There was no answer.

Tifa knocked once again.

After a moment longer, the door finally opened. Before them stood a woman, familiar to Tifa, and yet a stranger to Sephiroth. Regardless of having never met her before, Sephiroth was completely aware of how much he'd impacted her life. She was an older woman with long, graying brown hair tied up in a bun. She was wearing a long green dress covered by a white apron, which was worn and patched up in various places. Her hazel eyes were tired and made her appear downtrodden, but they lit up at the sight of Tifa on the steps.

"Tifa, dear, it's so good to see you." She smiled brightly, completely overtaken by joy to see her. She tossed her arms around her and embraced her tightly as she'd not seen her for an eternity. For the past couple of years, Tifa and Marlene both had become like daughters to her and her newfound love for them helped to ease the pain of losing Aerith.

"It's good to see you too, Elmyra." Tifa hugged her back, almost relieved that she'd not noticed Sephiroth who released Tifa's hand, taking a few steps back.

But at length Elmyra lifted her head, and when she did, she saw him. Sephiroth stood there at Tifa's side and she froze. Her eyes widened in terror and out of reflex, she yanked Tifa into the house, slamming the door.

"Tifa! Run and hide!" Elmyra screamed, hurriedly locking the door and shoving Tifa into the sitting room.

"Hey, Elmyra…wait!" Tifa cried out, almost wanting to laugh at her reaction to him. The old woman should know that it would take more than a deadbolt to keep Sephiroth from entering.

But Sephiroth had no intention of breaking down the door. Instead he just stood there on the stoop, staring blankly at the door, unsure of what to think just then. His nerves cooled slightly at this somewhat comical display.

Within, Elmyra had become hysterical at Sephiroth's presence while Tifa attempted to soothe her. She offered her a warm smile, hoping that her own calm disposition would bring her some comfort. It wasn't exactly what Tifa had imagined to experience once they arrived, but she was glad it wasn't much worse than this. At length she managed to get her quiet down.

"Elmyra, please, let me talk." Tifa grasped her shoulders, holding her steady as she explained, "Sephiroth is not the same as he was before…He's come to talk to you."

"Wh-what?" She didn't know what to think about this. "He's a monster, Tifa…A _killer!_"

"No he's _not!_" Tifa cried, almost sounding like that of a teenage girl whose mother sees her boyfriend as a loser.

The woman was taken aback by her. Why was she defending him? She wasn't certain if she should believe her or not, Sephiroth was known to take control of his victims' minds if it suited him. But he hadn't even bothered to try getting into the house yet. She glanced at the door, finding the atmosphere undisturbed. Looking back to Tifa, she found her smiling. She didn't behave like she'd been brainwashed for under someone else's control…

"Trust me." Tifa eased her down into a chair and went to the door.

Elmyra gasped audibly as the younger woman reached for the knob and opened the door to Sephiroth. As he entered her view, Elmyra clapped a hand over mouth and her eyes began to water at the sight of him.

"No…" She sobbed, "…he can't be here…Tifa, how could you?"

"Please listen, he's got something important to say…He's already told _me_, now he needs _you_ to listen." Tifa nodded at him, letting him know it was alright to come near.

Sephiroth entered slowly, not wishing to alarm the old woman anymore than he already had. She stared at him as though she were looking at the face of the devil and in her mind Sephiroth was just that. Elmyra cowered from him, reaching toward Tifa for support. Tifa wrapped her arms around her, assuring her that she was safe.

Sephiroth's mind was racing with a million thoughts and his heart ached in his chest as he looked at the woman before him. She was afraid of him as well she should be, given all she knew of him and all he had indeed done. But he hoped that she would offer the same forgiveness that Tifa did. He prayed to whatever gods were listening that she'd at least hear him out. His body was rigid with stress and his temples throbbed from over analyzing his situation.

Once he was seated comfortably on the chair nearest them, Tifa jumped up from the settee.

"I'll make us a cup of tea." Her voice was a little too cheerful, but she sounded that way on purpose, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

Elmyra made to protest, but before a word could escape her mouth, Tifa had disappeared into the kitchen, intentionally leaving them alone to together.

The pair watched after her in silence, before simultaneously turning back to one another. So there they were, the murderer and the victim's mother. Sephiroth's heart was beating frantically in his chest and his labored breath came out as harsh demonic puffs of hot air. Elmyra gulped with fear, seeing his face as not being nervous, but full of malice. His brow was a hard line and his lips were pressed together tightly as his nostrils flared with each hard breath. It was not a face that she found attractive in the least. This was the man that had murdered her baby girl, and now he was in her house, invited in by someone she thought she could trust. Her heart was jaded, broken beyond hope, and now felt so betrayed. But she wasn't sure yet of what she should do. A part of her wanted to kick them both out, another wanted to curse them both, another wanted to berate Tifa for what she'd done, and yet still another desperately wanted to listen. It was a tough decision to make and in the end she opted for the later. She loved Tifa just enough to take her advice and hear what this man had to say.

"Mrs. Gainsborough…" Sephiroth uttered softly, "…My name is Sephir – "

"I know who you are, young man." She struggled to keep her composure.

"Yes, ma'am." He cleared his throat, "I…I…don't even know what to say…"

"Then why are you here?"

Sephiroth dropped his gaze to the floor, daring not look her in the eye. "I'm here because of your daughter."

Elmyra's lips trembled at the mention of Aerith and she opened her mouth just as Tifa reentered the room.

"Here it is!" She chirped at the placed the tea tray on the table.

Sephiroth looked up at her, finding that her face once more held that tell-tale expression of worry. Her voice was bright and cheery but he knew better as well did Elmyra. Even she knew that Tifa was under a lot of pressure just as Sephiroth was, and it then that she was a little more apt to listen to what he had to say.

"Go on, Sephiroth." She urged gently as she accepted a cup of tea from Tifa.

Sephiroth was grateful for his own steaming cup of liquid tranquility and sipped it slowly as he gathered his courage to say what needed to be said. Placing the teacup back on the saucer, he snapped his eyes back up to her.

"I'm sorry." He said smoothly. "I truly am so, so sorry for what I've done."

Elmyra had suspected that this was what he'd say, but still she was somewhat surprised. Her trembling hand raised her cup to her lips and sipped it slowly, her vision becoming blurry.

"Why? Why are you apologizing?" She husked, "Do you think it'll bring her back?"

"No I don't. I know it won't bring your daughter back…But I wanted to offer you whatever you want or need of me to pay for what I've done…"

Elmyra set her cup down and slowly rose, walking on shaky legs to the window where a pot of those magical lilies enjoyed the sunshine. She stared at the blossoms as they seemed more alive than ever. They were suddenly more fragrant and their petals seemed to glow, though it was probably just an illusion of light. She swore she saw the flowers lift upward as Sephiroth continued to speak.

"I'll do anything for you, though I know that whatever I can give is nothing compared to bringing Aerith back to you."

"Sephiroth…" She squeezed her eyes shut, though a couple of tears still escaped, "…there's _nothing_ you can do…how…_dare_ you…"

"Elmyra, please," Tifa spoke quietly, but she just put up a hand to silence her.

Elmyra felt as though she was suffocating; she couldn't breathe or think, except the overwhelming agony taking her heart.

Sephiroth felt his own throat tighten and the pain welled within his chest. He could feel every emotion she felt just then and he too thought he would cry. His eyes happened to drift down toward the flowers upon the windowsill and noticed the heads lower as though they were wilting. They'd just lifted up a moment prior, as if they were conscious of what was happening.

"If you wish me dead, then you shall surely have my life." He suddenly said, standing up.

The woman did not turn back to him; instead she looked again at the flowers before her and realized that they'd begun to wilt. "How can that be?" She uttered softly in surprise. Suddenly, she remembered what Tifa had said; that he'd had a similar conversation with her, and assumed that he must have make a promise much like this. "If you die now, then your debt to Tifa will be unfulfilled…wouldn't it?"

The flowers perked up and their color returned. Never before had she seen them react like this, it was almost as if Aerith was there, affecting the plants as she gave her own input on the situation. She felt her heart swell a feeling of relief, a strange emotion to feel as she was confronted by her daughter's killer. But she had the strangest notion that Aerith was watching, and she somehow knew that she wanted her to forgive him regardless.

"Why did you kill my daughter?"

"Because I had no control over my body. The alien Jenova was making me do things that I would otherwise have never done…"

"Oh…a likely excuse…" Elmyra hissed as she gently caressed the golden petals of one of the flowers.

"It's the truth." Tifa chimed in, doing her best to offer Sephiroth some defense. "He also killed my father, you know…"

"And you still forgave him?" The more cynical Elmyra became, the more the flowers withered.

"Yes, I did…I still don't know exactly why…but I was somehow able to find it in my heart to let him prove to me that he's no longer a monster. And so far I have not regretted that decision."

Elmyra sighed heavily, not wanting to accept anything that Sephiroth had to offer, with the exception of his head on a silver platter…But she knew that is not what her beloved Aerith would've wanted. She knew that her daughter would've wanted her to open her heart and forgive his trespasses.

"What promise did you make to Tifa?"

"She wanted me to stay by her side forever and never leave her alone…She wants me to protect her from all that darkens her dreams."

"But isn't that _you?_"

"Not anymore." He whispered breathily as Tifa took his hand, lending him emotional support. His shoulders tensed as he suddenly remembered the envelope in his pocket. Reaching for it, he slowly approached her, setting down on the windowsill beside her hand. "Cloud wanted me to give this to you."

She didn't speak, she only took the envelope and opened it carefully, deliberately taking her time to take care that she didn't rip the paper and risk damaging the note inside. She didn't read the note aloud, nor did she disclose what was inside, but as she finished reading it, she folded it back up and returned it to the envelope. She closed her eyes again, as if deeply deliberating on its content, before she finally spoke.

"Then do this for me…" She turned around and looked him dead in the eyes, "…Promise _me_ that you'll keep your promise to _Tifa_ and stay with her as long as she needs you…protect her from harm …And _that_ is your gift to me...My daughter is alive in my memory and in my heart...that much is certain."

"A promise within a promise." Sephiroth looked thoughtful for a moment. "Then it shall be done."

The flowers sprang back to life and ceased to alter their state again.

* * *

**The chapter title and Elmyra's last line are taken from this quote:**

**_"The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living." ~ Marcus Tillius Cicero_**


	10. Chapter X: How to Roast a Marshmallow

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

**Change of Heart **

**Chapter X: How to Roast a Marshmallow**

Cloud found Sephiroth alone in the bar washing the dishes. Tifa had taken the kids to the rooftop to play with the old telescope she'd found in her closet, thereby leaving the men alone and at each other's mercy. Cloud lingered quietly for a moment wondering if he should even approach him.

"I won't bite you, Cloud." Sephiroth said as he tossed a casual glance over his shoulder before gesturing for him to come closer.

Cloud took this invitation and went up beside him, turning the faucet to his side of the sink and rinsed the soapy dishes that Sephiroth handed him.

"Thank you for visiting Elmyra today." Cloud usually took about thirty seconds of silence before starting his conversations, but tonight he was feeling slightly more sociable.

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for her."

"Yeah, well, thanks anyway."

"You're welcome, I suppose." Sephiroth sighed heavily. "So what exactly was in that note you gave her?"

"Oh that? Nothing really, I was just letting her know that you're just as big of an ass as you were before."

"Is that all?" Sephiroth suppressed a laugh. "Would you really say 'ass', though? It doesn't sound like you."

The corner of Cloud's mouth attempted a smile, but he too suppressed it. "No. The truth is I asked her to give you a chance."

Sephiroth stopped. He didn't look at him, he just stared at the plate he held in his hands. Cloud had stuck up for him?

"Why?"

Cloud wasn't so quick to answer. He wasn't trying to avoid the question, but he was trying to seek the best way to reply.

"Because of Tifa. I don't know what to really think, but she must clearly see that something's changed in you to make her put her faith in you." He took the plate from Sephiroth's hands. "After all…it really wasn't so long ago that you and I were friends."

Sephiroth regarded him silently, taking in what he'd just said. "We're finished here; shall we join them on the roof?" He suggested as he dried his hands.

"Sure."

They ascended shortly, finding the fire pit lit with five folding chairs surrounding it. Tifa has the children a couple yards away, gawking through the old telescope at the surface of the moon. Sephiroth's heart stopped when he saw her, she looked so beautiful just then. She wasn't dressed especially nice or anything but, being bathed in the silvery light of the full moon, she just looked so undeniably lovely. And when she looked up and smiled, her face seemed to glow.

"Come on, guys!" She called, "The star shower is going to start soon!"

Elmyra had told them there was supposed to be a meteor shower that evening, and it would be visible from Edge and Kalm. However, due to certain reasons, the people refused to refer to it as a 'meteor' shower and opted for the more uplifting term 'star shower'.

"Did you bring the marshmallows?" Cloud asked as he suddenly thought of them.

"They're in a chair by the pit." Denzel said as he ran up to him, grabbing his hand. "Come on! Look at the moon!" He dragged him to the telescope, coaxing him to look.

"Yeah buddy, that's cool." Cloud's enthusiasm was a little forced, but he put it on for the kids' sake.

Sephiroth managed a grin as he joined them. He went up to Tifa, earning a delicate smile from her. "I'm excited."

"I'm sure it'll be amazing." He looked out over the city and noticed the number of lights. "Isn't it a bit bright to see the event though?"

"No." Tifa whispered excitedly. "Everyone is going to watch."

Sephiroth was about to question her logic, but as if on cue, the city lights began to go out a few at a time until the entire city had gone black. The only lights visible were those who had flashlights or fire pits like the one they had.

"Let's roast the marshmallows now!" Marlene started jumping up and down, causing Denzel to get excited in turn.

The kids hurried toward the pit, grappling for the bag.

"Calm down you two; you could get hurt!" Tifa scolded as she snatched the bag and produced one marshmallow for each of them. "Now behave."

"Sorry, Tifa." Denzel apologized quietly as he sat down and stabbed a skewer into his marshmallow.

"Just be careful around the fire." She bent and kissed their foreheads before taking her own seat.

Cloud and Sephiroth observed them from afar. Tifa was such a good mother; no one else was more suited to care for these children than she. Sephiroth felt his heart thunder in his chest when he watched her in this role. It was a good sort of feeling, one that warmed him from inside. Cloud however didn't feel that; he felt nothing when he looked at her, at least not that he noticed. Cloud seemed, at least to Sephiroth, to take Tifa for granted and didn't appreciate her for what she did every day. But Sephiroth _did_ appreciate her; he was much too aware of her worth to take her for granted. But he was unsure if what he felt was her value to the children, or only her value to himself. He cared about her so much, but he wondered if she cared just as much about him.

"Why are you staring at her?" Cloud's voice invaded Sephiroth's thoughts. It was unwelcome, but it did not really annoy him.

"I didn't realize I was staring." Sephiroth tore his gaze away from her and looked at Cloud. "Does it bother you if I do?"

"I guess not."

Finally, they'd all gathered around the fire and roasted marshmallows over the open flame. The children were laughing, having so much fun just by doing this that they may not even notice the meteor shower. Tifa in turn was enjoying herself as she found happiness in her children. Even Cloud managed a smile…

So this is what it was like to be a member of this family. Sephiroth had gained yet another experience. There was so much love here, so much happiness that overcame this family. It was something he'd never seen before. Living on the Plate, Sephiroth had rarely seen families come together like this, spending quality time with one another. He'd seen mothers go shopping at expensive boutiques or meet secret lovers to fill the void left by their neglectful husbands...those same husbands then proceed to beat their wives for their trespasses…sons spending too much time playing videogames instead of doing chores, and daughters climbing out the windows to meet boyfriends late into the night - all to seek fulfillment not provided by their parents…Never saying a word of unconditional love to one another and putting on appearances…Dysfunctional families that had a false façade of structure, whilst the truth remained buried in the lies.

But that was not this family. They all cared for each other, they all took the time and energy to be together whenever they could and they'd found it in their hearts to include him too. Sephiroth almost wanted to cry at the wonderful feelings that invaded him when he was in their company. His heart, once cold and dead, sprang to life the moment Tifa had touched him, her congeniality forcing the remains of the devil from his soul.

Sephiroth finally took a marshmallow and a stick.

He'd observed the others' techniques and discovered that Tifa's idea of rotating the marshmallow just before the flames was the most effective means of roasting evenly. But he noticed Cloud's way of letting it catch fire and allowing it to burn black was an interesting choice as well. The children, however, seemed to bring both ways together. They would first let it catch fire, allow it to burn black, blow on it to put out the fire and to cool it, then gently pull off and eat the charred shell, then proceed to carefully brown the melty lump of marshmallow that remained stuck to the end of the skewer.

How funny, he'd thought as he considered carefully each possible method. In the end he decided to try each idea until he found which one best suited him. Tifa's way was slow, and it left him anxious to eat. Cloud's way was fun, but it left the inside of the marshmallow still too firm. The childrens' way was just too long to spend with one marshmallow. Finally, he'd decided to design his own way of roasting.

First, he'd decided to warm it away from the fire, just to the point where heat waves rippled off the flames. Then, when the innards were soft, he'd bring it to the fire and let it catch, letting it burn for just a few seconds to get it browned before thrusting it into this mouth. Perfection. He'd successfully conjured a quicker way of browning and softening a marshmallow without it burning or being too stiff. It was a strange notion to him that each one of them had a slightly different approach to performing the same task. But, it was amusing nonetheless. However it suited their personalities, as Tifa was calm and patient, Cloud on the other hand was impatient and wanted immediate results, the children too desired immediate results though once the initial need was met, their patience grew. And then there was Sephiroth, who desired a quick outcome, but more than anything wanted a decent product.

Sephiroth wanted to laugh at himself. First he's talking to plants and now he's actually breaking down the perfect way to roast a marshmallow! It was absurd for him, though at the same time it was logical for him. He'd lived his life dissecting various procedures and tactics, seeking out the best course of action, and then either acting on the best option or inventing his own. But going battle and preparing a midnight snack are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

He shook his head. He was done with that; this was a new life, a new beginning, these sorts of thought processes were no longer necessary. Now he felt that it was time to focus on something that he'd been forbidden since childhood…something he had to sneak away into private to enjoy. Fun. He'd never had fun before without fear of punishment. But he would have that now. So no more assessing marshmallow methods…it was time for frivolity.

Then the stars began to fall.

"Look!" The voice that rang out was bright and excited, it sounded youthful, though was mature. It was a brief second until Sephiroth realized it was his own voice. He closed his mouth immediately and looked sheepishly at his friends, though they didn't seem notice his outburst. They'd directed their gazes to the sky and uttered their own expressions of awe.

It was incredible, the number of stars that streaked across the sky. It was probably one of the beautiful things he'd ever seen. But that notion was retracted when his gaze suddenly fell upon Tifa. Her face was lit up with moonlight, an ethereal silver glow accented by the bright flashes of light illuminating her eyes. In that moment, he realized that Tifa was the single most beautiful thing in the world. He didn't know how long he stared at her, but he realized he couldn't get enough of her. He could drink her in for an eternity, becoming completely intoxicated by her.

He reached out to her.

His hand ghosted over her shoulder, pushing back her hair, and running his fingers through it. She turned toward him, her beauty only enhanced by her smile.

"Are you having fun?" She whispered only loud enough for him to hear.

His heart began to race and he couldn't understand why. He gulped down the lump that had formed in his throat before replying.

"Yes…I am having fun."

Tifa noticed his eyes soften as he spoke. His voice was ever so gentle, more so than it had been since he got there. His jaw seemed to twitch, as if he wanted to speak, but he didn't. She felt her heart leap in her chest as she made eye contact with him. She hadn't realized how handsome he was until right then. He appeared almost angelic as his eyes reflected the radiance of this astral phenomenon, and his silvery hair captured the light and glimmered. She inclined her head toward him, and he too leaned forward.

"Aaww! It's over!" Denzel complained, tossing his stick into the fire.

Tifa tossed her attention back to her children, offering up a tender smile. "Oh, sweetie, it's alright; there'll be another one."

"Yeah, in a million years!" He whined.

"No…There'll be one again next year." Cloud reassured him before checking his watch. "Alright kids, it's time for bed."

"But I'm not tired yet." Marlene moaned as she yawned heavily.

Tifa giggled at her and grabbed her hand, "Come on, let's go."

Sephiroth watched as Cloud and Tifa walked the children down stairs. As Tifa reached the door, she turned back to him. "Are you coming in?"

Sephiroth smirked, "No, I think I'll stay here for a bit. I want more marshmallows."

Tifa couldn't help but smile. "Goodnight then."

"Goodnight, Tifa." Sephiroth whispered as the door swung shut.

He grabbed a fresh stick and shoved a marshmallow on the end. As he thrust it in the fire, it almost immediately caught fire. He removed it quickly to blow out the flame, finding the smooth white surface bubbly and charred black. But as he carefully removed the outer layer and found the inside still pure white, and it was soft, contrary to the hardened outer skin. He likened it to himself…he'd promised himself not to over analyze things anymore, but it was hard to avoid just then. He felt a compulsion to compare himself to the marshmallow. He was blackened, hardened, and unbeautiful on the outside, but inside, he felt warm and soft, and he was sure that if someone could examine his soul that they'd find that his sins did not completely taint him.

He sighed heavily, tossing the black shell into his mouth and enjoyed the burned flavor.

"Some men are teddy bears, while still others are pussycats…and I'm a _marshmallow_…"


	11. Chapter XI: A Kiss and Recoil

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XI: A Kiss and Recoil**

When Tifa finished tucking in the children, she followed Cloud into the hall. He leaned against the wall as he watched her close the door. Her face was set with a tender expression, with a misty look in her eyes. He'd rarely ever seen her look like that before, having noticed she'd only looked at _him_ like that, but tonight he'd glanced across the fire and saw her and Sephiroth looking like they were about to kiss – and had it not been for Denzel, they probably would have. Not that it really bothered Cloud, but he didn't like it either.

"What's the matter?" She whispered.

"Nothing…I was just wondering how your day with Sephiroth was."

"It was good. It started out a bit bumpy, but I feel like we accomplished what we set out to."

"She was accepting of his apology?"

"I don't think she wanted to accept it…but I think she did because she felt like Aerith would've wanted her to."

"I see…so what else happened?"

"Nothing, we just came home."

Cloud just nodded and went to his room. Tifa was a little bit put off by him. She couldn't really place why, but she felt like Cloud wanted to ask something that he was uncomfortable talking about. It upset her that didn't come out and say it. But she left it alone, hoping he'd ask when he was ready.

But as Tifa stood there in the hallway, she realized she really wasn't tired anymore. It was almost one o'clock in the morning, but she decided to go back up to the roof. She found Sephiroth up there, with the fire still burning.

"Hey, not tired?" She asked as she seated herself beside him.

"Not really." Sephiroth relaxed against the back of his chair and looked into the flames.

Tifa and Cloud had always associated him with flames, because of what he'd done to their home. He instantly wished he'd be able to go back in time and change what had happened, to do it over differently.

"Is something bothering you?" Tifa asked as she tossed the empty marshmallow bag into the fire.

Sephiroth shook his head, but he replied, "Yes there is. I was just thinking about the past…about what life would be like if I'd not gone mad." He looked at her from under weary eyelids. "Would I still be a Soldier, would Zack and Aerith still be alive…would you be happy with Cloud? That's the one the hurts me most of all; I can't help but wonder if I hadn't destroyed your home and subsequently, your lives, would Cloud have not fallen in love with Aerith and instead fallen in love with you?"

Tifa closed her eyes, squeezing them shut for fear she might cry. "There's no way to know, Sephiroth…who knows, there might not have been much of a difference as far as mine and Cloud's relationship goes. Maybe I would have met someone else entirely…Nothing can say."

"I suppose that's true, but I can't stop thinking about it."

"Now what did you tell me about dwelling on the past?" She forced a playful tone into her voice to lighten the mood. She stood and put her hand out to him, "Come on, let's go inside and stop thinking about what might have been; let's just think about what we'll make of the future."

"Yes…let's." Sephiroth took her outstretched hand and in that moment realized how often they held hands.

It was strange to think, but holding hands showed the level of trust they shared between them. Tifa was usually the one to initiate it, but Sephiroth was more than happy to accept her touch. It seemed almost intimate, like they were trying to communicate between their hands. Perhaps it was the familiarity that Sephiroth enjoyed about it; it almost seemed far more intimate than engaging in sex. Sephiroth knew from experience that sex can be cheapened, that alcohol, detachment, and disinterest in anything emotional can make the act devoid of anything except a brief moment of gratification. He sensed that Tifa probably felt the same way, since she'd once been a lady of the evening; she more than likely felt that intercourse was an invasion, a violation of her body and her soul. But this was different. Who had ever heard of drunken hand holding or paying a woman to caress her fingers and nothing more? It made his heart thunder to think about it, that he was the only man with which she'd engaged in this outwardly innocent act. He hoped this would last forever, that she'd continue this trust and that their friendship would not be tainted.

He rubbed his thumb along her knuckles and let her lead him downstairs into the warm house. She tossed a smile at him and turned to face him when they reached his door. He looked exhausted, but she could tell that he wasn't ready to say goodnight. Sephiroth, in turn, could see how tired she was but she too was reluctant to part ways for the evening. There was something bothering her as well, he could see it when she put on that smile.

"Tell me what's hurting you now." He whispered, not wishing anyone else to hear.

"Nothing."

"Stop lying to me." He caressed her cheek with his free hand. "Tell me, please…"

"Cloud goes back to work tomorrow…and I get worried sometimes that he will leave and never come back."

"Tifa..." Sephiroth inched closer to her, hoping that his warmth would envelope her and she'd relax. "I know you wish he would stay…"

She didn't reply right away. Her gaze drifted all over his face, taking in every line and contour, somehow finding not a single flaw marring his perfect skin. She'd almost lost track of what she wanted to say, feeling her heart pummel the inside of her chest as her nerves spiked. A hot puff of breath on her face made her realize how close he was to her. They were nearly nose to nose with only about a two inch gap between them. It was so easy to close the distance. "Th-that's not it…" She unconsciously clutched his arm, "…I…I'm worried that you'll leave me…"

"Is that so?" He was trying to keep from head butting her, as his head drooped from how tired he suddenly was.

"Please, Sephiroth…Don't ever leave me alone…" Her breath escaped her lips in labored wisps.

"I promised you, didn't I? I will _always_ be here to take care of you." With that quiet proclamation, Sephiroth gave into his desire and kissed her fully on the mouth.

So this was what that strange feeling inside of him was after. He wanted to be with her like this; the touch of her hand had left him with a fluttering in his stomach and his heart feeling heavy. But it was too fast, they'd only just met each other – at least on friendly terms - and Tifa was just on the rebound…It was Cloud she loved, and Sephiroth wanted to make her happy…he'd hoped to do that by somehow making Cloud love her too. But that seemed far away now, as they embraced and his hands found their way into her hair and her fingers raked down his back. The only sounds that could be heard were their heavy breathing and the wet noises emitted from their lips. Tifa's heart raced frantically, goose bumps rising on her skin, and shivers running up and down her spine. She didn't know she could ever feel like this. It was a feeling of relief to touch a man this way – even if they were just kissing – but she never thought in a million years that it would be Sephiroth. She loved Cloud, and her heart was telling her she was betraying him, but her mind told her it was a lost cause and here before her was a man that could love her back. Both of them felt a sudden urge to take this further, to release all inhibitions and give into lust. But it would be their undoing. They cared too much about one another to be so frivolous…

Tifa was uncertain of how or when she'd made it to bed that night, but she was however certain that her life was going to be different. She had waked to find herself still fully dressed with the exception of her shoes and was simultaneously relieved and disappointed. A part of her wished that she and Sephiroth would've just let loose. But it would have left her feeling guilty and Sephiroth would have felt like he owed her more than he already did. She rolled over and slowly eased herself up, then she looked at the clock. It was already after noon, Cloud was gone by now and she was sure that Sephiroth had already fed the children.

"I guess I should get going. The laundry isn't going to do itself." She muttered as she headed for the door. She didn't even bother to put on any fresh clothes, it was Sunday, and all she had planned was chores.

When she made it down stairs, she found Sephiroth sitting at a table with the children, playing a card game.

"Do you have a queen?" Denzel asked carefully, as if unsure if that's what he wanted.

"Go fish." Sephiroth said, equally as carefully.

Tifa watched from the doorway, a smile creeping onto her face as she observed them playing. There was a light, breathable tension in the room, and she noticed a few coins lying on the table between them and their "poker" faces.

Cute, very cute.

Despite how discrete she was being, Sephiroth still knew she was there, the children however were oblivious. She crept along behind the bar and slowly opened the fridge and pulled out a couple of bottles of fruit flavored soda, and quietly began to mix up some virgin drinks, topping them off with cherries and orange slices. They looked colorful and fancy, just the way the children liked them. Tifa emptied some corn chips into a bowl and some spinach and artichoke dip into four smaller bowls. Loading them up onto a tray, she hurried around the counter and strutted up to the table, balancing the tray on her hand and lifting it up level with her head like she often did when being careful to avoid hitting customers on busy nights.

"How are you doing today?" Tifa asked casually as she presented the tray to them.

"Tifa!" Marlene looked up excitedly as Tifa placed the drinks on the table.

"I've got your regular orders, and I didn't scrimp on the cherries."

"Thanks, Tifa!" Denzel almost tossed his cards as he leaned across the table to dig into the chips and dip.

"Thank you, Tifa." Sephiroth smiled warmly as she sat down across the table from him.

She smiled bashfully, instantly remembering their encounter the previous night. The nervous feeling flared up in her chest, but she did well to hide it. "So what are we playing?"

"Go Fish! And _I_ am winning." Sephiroth boasted.

"Oh please, you wish!" Denzel narrowed his eyes at him.

"And what are you gambling with?" She nodded at the money on the table.

"About five gil and an extended curfew for the kids if they win, and if I win, I get five gil and they go to bed early without complaint." Sephiroth laughed as he tried the dip.

Tifa looked around. "Well, that sounds like a good deal. Make sure you win." She stood and started around the table.

"Hey! No fair, you're supposed to root for us!" Marlene whined playfully as she reached up to her.

"No fair?" Tifa leaned down and hugged her tightly, planting a motherly kiss on the top of her head. "Don't be sore losers now, and hide your cards from him. You know he can see them."

"Whose side are you on?" Sephiroth retorted. Tifa only giggled.

"It's true though, Marlene." Denzel said, eyeballing Sephiroth. "He's like 7 feet tall; of course he can see our cards."

"C'mon, let's scoot over there!" Marlene and Denzel hustled to the opposite side of the table, hoping that Sephiroth would be blind from that angle.

Tifa returned a moment later with another bowl of salsa, as she required something a little spicier for today. As she watched them, she hoped that the game would be over quickly, so that the children would go out to play and she could be alone to talk to Sephiroth. But she went with it, letting the children have their fun and enjoying Sephiroth's own playful aura in particular. To her relief, Sephiroth took all the children's cards and the game was over in a matter of a few minutes. As the children cleared off and ran outside to play, she instantly wished the game would've lasted a bit longer.

Sephiroth shuffled the cards and slid them back in the box, placing them on the shelf before facing Tifa. He too was nervous, knowing that they needed to talk. He'd really rather not talk about it, but addressing the matter now would be better than ignoring it. He continued past her and closed the blinds on the windows, as if he were afraid someone might attempt to spy on them.

"Tifa, I'm sorry about last night." He still had his back to her.

"Oh, it was real." She sank back down her chair…She didn't even remember ever having stood up. "I was halfway hoping I'd dreamed it."

"Am I really that a bad a kisser?" Sephiroth smirked as he returned to the table.

"That's not what I meant." Tifa felt her heart start to pick up speed.

"Don't worry Tifa, I know how you feel about Cloud; I'm not trying to make you deviate from him."

"But why did you kiss me?"

"Because I wanted to." He replied simply, it was an honest answer, though probably not the one she was expecting. "When you took my hand last night, I just felt so strange, like my heart was about to burst out my chest. And on top of that…you just looked so beautiful. So now my question for you is…why did you kiss me back?"

Tifa gulped and sought out a plausible answer. She didn't really know why she did. "I guess I just wanted to."

"You look upset about it. It's not as though we did anything else."

"You're right." She was in fact a little disappointed at how flippant he was about it.

It didn't turn out like she'd hoped, but then she wasn't really sure what it was she was hoping for. It was like when she told Cloud she loved him; it just seemed to go in one ear and out the other and he didn't even act like he cared. Now Sephiroth did the same thing. She supposed that a part of her was hoping he'd tell her he loved her. But it wouldn't have been right. They'd known each other for many years, but they'd only been friendly for a little over a week. It wouldn't have been conceivable for Sephiroth to fall in love with her so fast. And just thinking about it then proved how desperate she was to hear a man – any man – tell her that he loved her. That is what they call "Rebound City", when the one you love spurns you and you run to the nearest friend hoping they'd reciprocate your feelings. She wasn't like that. She wanted Cloud and she was willing to fight for his love.

But how can she fight a dead woman?

"You know what, Tifa?" Sephiroth said suddenly, stopping her from withdrawing into herself.

"What?"

"I think you deserve some time off."

"Time off?"

"Yes, I think you should pack a bag and get away from this place for a few days. Just enough time to get your thoughts together…so you can breathe."

"What about my kids and the bar?"

"I will take care of the children, and I will also run the bar for you."

"I couldn't ask it of you."

"You didn't;_ I_ offered."

Tifa hung her head and took a deep breath. "I think it sounds like a good idea."

The pair continued throughout the day like normal. Tifa completed her chores without fuss or distraction and as she did, she carefully considered where to spend her impromptu vacation. She couldn't decide if she should go alone, bring a friend, or go stay at a friend's house. But if she did that, what friend would she stay with? Yuffie had gone home to Wutai, Cid and Shera were still enjoying newlywed bliss, Vincent wasn't much to talk to, Barret was still searching for oil, she was never particularly close to Reeve, and she doubted that Red XIII would care too much about her love life…or lack thereof. The only one left was Elmyra, but after ambushing her with Sephiroth the previous day, she wasn't sure if she'd been so happy to let her stay for a few days.

But it was still worth a try. So that evening, she gave her a call.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey, Elmyra?"

"_Tifa Dear, how are you today?"_

"I'm alright. I'm sorry about yesterday."

"_No harm done, Sweetheart." _

"I was wondering, would it be alright if I come and stay for a few days?"

"_Of course, is everything alright?" _

"Yeah, Sephiroth just suggested that I take a vacation, and I think he's right. Besides, I…kind of need my mom right now…and…" She brushed at her eye and felt the tears roll down her cheeks.

"_Sweetie, are you crying?" _

"Y-yes…but I'm alright. Listen I'll be there tomorrow."

"_Alright. Goodnight then, Dear." _

"Goodnight."


	12. Chapter XII: Strange Dream and Rainy Day

I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XII: Strange Dream and Rainy Day Dismissal**

Sleep came difficult for Sephiroth. He tossed and turned but no matter what, he couldn't find a comfortable position to lie in. Or perhaps it went beyond physical comfort, maybe it was his mind that kept him from sleeping. His mind was a flood with thoughts of Tifa. Part of him was kicking himself hard for touching her – even if it was just a kiss – but then he was happy that he did it.

Sephiroth wanted her, that much he was sure of. He cared about her since he'd first awakened and they'd spoken, but his desire for her had only come light the previous night. He'd always felt his heart threaten the strength of his body and his stomach had always been ridden with a fluttering sensation, but he'd never really known what it meant until then. But he felt the need to suppress these feelings. She was a taken woman, however one-sided that claim was. That was how deep his feelings for her ran, he was more than willing to give her over to another man as long as she was well taken care of. The only problem was that Cloud wasn't so willing to do his part.

But as Sephiroth pondered over these notions, sleep finally found him.

Sephiroth found himself standing in a field of gold and white lilies. Looking around himself, he noticed the field seemed to go on for eternity, off into a glowing white mist so thick he saw nothing beyond it. It had an ethereal sort of beauty, a place that could very well be mistaken for heaven. But it couldn't be heaven; he wasn't worthy of such a reward, and on top of that, he wasn't ready for the afterlife as he still needed to be there for Tifa.

So he began walking, but it was all the same. The more he walked, the more he realized there was nowhere to go.

"Where are you going?" A sweet female voice echoed around him.

He paused and looked around, but there was no one. "Who's there?"

"My name is Aerith."

Sephiroth's breath hitched in his throat. He sensed her standing behind him, but her presence was not filled with pain, hate, or repulsion. The feelings that enveloped him where those of love, hope, and…he dared think it…Forgiveness. He knew he was not worthy to lay eyes on her, but he wanted to see her, hoping it would bring some closure between them.

So he turned and saw her. A girl wearing a pink dress that buttoned down the front, and in her curled brown hair, she sported a large pink bow. He dared to look into her face, finding her enchantingly beautiful, her green eyes almost glowed with asome kind of otherworldly magic.

"Aerith." He managed, but his throat felt constricted.

"It was kind of you to come to see me."

"I…came to see _you?_" He questioned, taking a half step forward.

"Is there something you want to say?" A smile spread across her lips. "And please don't say you want to be forgiven…I've already heard that one recently." Her voice was playful.

"What else should I say to you, other than that I am sorry."

"I know you are; I was there, when you went to see my mother." Aerith approached him slowly, though she did not seem afraid. "I'm going to tell you what I told Cloud. You mustn't blame yourself…after all, it's not your fault."

"But it is my fault; I murdered you with my own hands."

"Your hands did murder me, but your heart and your mind were absent. Your will was not yours to control."

Sephiroth's eyes drifted down to her abdomen to her solar plexus – the area just below her breasts. It was the place where his sword had penetrated her. She followed his gaze to where her fatal wound was dealt.

"It didn't hurt, not really…I barely felt anything at all. It was more like hard pressure on my back, and then a tingling numbness all over me. And then nothing at all, it was like falling asleep." She spoke so casually, as if she were commenting on the weather.

Sephiroth was unsure of what to make of this. He was almost speechless, but he did manage to breathe a few words. "Is this real? Or is this merely a dream?"

"It is what you think it is. After all, I'm dead." She tapped the toe of her boot on the ground. "But I'm not angry with you; I'm reunited with Zack here."

"Zack…"

She nodded and her smile returned. "He's my true love."

That comment brought back the thoughts of the problem that plagued his waking life. "What about Cloud? Did you love him too?"

"I loved him, and I still do…But only as a close friend. He reminded me of Zack and perhaps that's why I drew so close to him, but in the end, he wasn't him. He just didn't compare."

"He loves you, you know. Even though you're gone, he still loves you. He's so in love with you still that he's blind to how Tifa feels about him."

"That's another reason why I avoided romance with him. Tifa was my friend, one of my best friends. I knew she loved him, and I didn't want to steal him away from her."

"But he fell for you anyway."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because I love Tifa. I know it's so soon after having gotten acquainted with her. But she's a difficult woman _not_ to love. I don't understand why Cloud devalues her the way he does."

"Do you think she loves you?"

"Not a chance. She's too infatuated with Cloud."

"You say _infatuated_, you don't think she's truly in love?"

Sephiroth was caught in his words. "I…I don't know…I just…" He got a handle on himself. "I don't think she's given any other man a chance, I think she's wanted Cloud so much since childhood, she's built him up in her mind to be some sort of fairytale prince, her knight in shining armor who will sweep her off her feet and make her sorrows melt away. But I've seen firsthand that he only brings more sorrow and does nothing to make any of it go away."

"Hmm…you just said a mouthful." Aerith observed, clapping her hands together before bringing them up to her lips as if in prayer. She closed her eyes in thought and twirled around slowly before speaking up again. "I think you need to tell her that you love her. Let her know that there's more than one knight in shining armor out there."

"Easier said than done. And what if she rejects me? Will our friendship degrade?"

"It's a risk you must be willing to take, you will never know unless you speak up. Who knows, perhaps this little trip she's taking will put her thoughts into perspective? Maybe she'll realize that she loves you instead."

"I highly doubt that. She could never love a monster like me. I destroyed her life."

"But you're also putting it back together for her. I'm dead, Sephiroth, not blind; I can still watch and see what my old friends are up to. I know everything that's happening as if I was there beside them. I have never seen Tifa truly smile until now. Just having you at her side makes her so happy. She doesn't think of you as a monster, by the way, she thinks of you as her friend."

"She does?"

"Yes, she cares about you so much. I know this for a fact."

"Did you see us last night?"

"Did I see you kissing? Yes I did! You looked perfect together. The two of you are the perfect mixture of darkness and light." She spoke with such exuberance. "Trust me, Sephiroth, when you wake up, your view will already be in perspective. But give Tifa some time…she just needs to get her thoughts together and she'll come around."

"Will you go visit Tifa in her dreams?"

"I don't visit anyone, Sephiroth. People come to me, but only those in need of me find me."

"Will I see you again?"

"That's up to you." She reached out and patted his shoulder affectionately. "But you really need to wake up now, it's time for the children to go to school and they want you to see them off." She turned around and started away, but she paused, as if she'd just remembered something important, so she turned around and presented him with a big pretty smile, "And for the record…I forgive you." Then the glowing white mist enclosed her and she vanished.

Sephiroth's eyes opened. Glancing at the clock, he realized it was seven-thirty and the children would be heading out any minute.

"What a strange sort of dream." He groaned as he got up and dressed quickly hoping he wouldn't miss them.

As he bounded down the stairs, he was just in time to find the children collecting their lunches from Tifa.

"Sephiroth!" Marlene and Denzel ran up to him for last minute hugs.

"Oh children." He breathed as he gazed down at their smiling faces, instantly he wondered if this is what being a father was like. He smiled and bent down to embrace them. "Remember, Tifa won't be home when you get here."

"We remember."

"Have a good day, you two."

The two of them nodded and ran out the door.

When he looked up and saw Tifa standing there, he instantly felt his heart stop. She was still in her nightdress, her hair a little tousled and her sleepy eyes made her appear dreamy. He instantly regretted telling her to take a break; he wanted her to stay right there, just like that. He could stare at her all day.

"Good morning." Tifa said as she searched the cabinets for the instant coffee. She was feeling a little sluggish today, having had a sleepless night.

"Morning. Do you sleep well?"

She just tossed a sarcastic look at him.

"I guess not." He approached her cautiously, something within his body was aching to just leap out and grab her. Sephiroth wasn't sure what it was or why, but he wanted to take her close and never let her go, to share another kiss like they did the other night, and to ravish her in the most delicious way.

But he didn't…instead he desired her to come to him first. That dream he'd had the previous night had made him realize how he felt about her, regardless of how long he'd known her, and regardless of their past. Somehow, not having the proverbial filter between his brain and mouth had caused him to stay that he loved her without restraint. He didn't have to worry about suffering any consequence when he spoke and it empowered him in the most perfect way. But his problem now was allowing Tifa the time and the space needed to come to her own conclusion about him. She needed to assess her situation, and make her own decisions. Then afterward, he would proceed to tell her how he felt.

Tifa, on the other hand did not have such an overwhelmingly inspiring dream. Instead, she's tossed and turned all night, feeling the stress of her life bearing down on her more so than usual. She was a little apprehensive about leaving for a few days, a bit worried that Sephiroth wouldn't have the patience to handle the kids and the bar at the same time. But he assured her, that he did and she was inclined to believe him. She was just nervous about changing her routine, was all and she knew this would be good for her.

So without further ado, she adjourned upstairs to get dressed.

Sephiroth was a bit perturbed that she'd ignored him as she ran past him. But it also intrigued him, finding it a little amusing as she scampered away to change and grab her bags.

Tifa left about an hour later, leaving Sephiroth standing at the door, watching her ride away. She'd hitched a ride with a neighbor who was headed out to the Chocobo Ranch and offered to drop her off at Kalm. Sephiroth was reluctant to watch her go, suddenly feeling the dark cloud of loneliness drifting over him. Then he heard the grumble from the sky. As it turned out, that dark cloud of loneliness was accompanied by a dark cloud of rain ready to pour at any minute. But he didn't bother to go inside yet; instead he gazed upward, past the angel statue and stared at the blackening sky. He really hoped that driver would be careful in this weather, and he wondered if the storm would reach across to Kalm. But as more thunder carried on, and the rain began to fall, Sephiroth stepped back inside and closed the door.

He hadn't realized how much he enjoyed Tifa's company until he was completely alone in that house. Even with the lights on, it still seemed dark and uninviting. But, just as he thought that, the power went out.

"Fantastic…it's a good thing the stove is gas." He sighed with irritation as he went to the closet to retrieve the candles. It seemed redundant to light them all, so he left the box on the counter and instead headed upstairs to his room. For next few hours, he busied himself with his plants and tinkering around with repairing his furniture.

But as three o'clock approached, Sephiroth noticed the storm was not giving it up anytime soon, and the power had not yet been restored. So without hesitation, he suited up in his black coat, though left the pauldrons in the closet. He then grabbed a bag, stuffing the children's raincoats and rain boots in it and taking off with three umbrellas in hand. The rain was pouring down hard, so hard in fact he was almost curtain it would beat his umbrella to bits. But he pushed onward, wishing that Tifa and Cloud had a car or that the school had a bus to chauffer the children back and forth.

He barely made it in time for the kids to be released. As he looked around, he found that he wasn't alone; many parents had the same idea. At least he didn't look like an idiot, rushing out into the rain like that. But he wasn't about to let the children get drenched on their way home. Seeking shelter under the awning, Sephiroth shook off his umbrella and followed the other parents inside to retrieve the kids. He was a little bit worried that he would be turned away as he watched parents produce their ID cards and were escorted to the classrooms to claim their children.

"Name please." The woman at the counter seemed very disenchanted with her job.

He froze.

"Sir, your name?"

"Sephiroth."

She narrowed her eyes at him and looked him up and down. "Come again?"

"Sephiroth."

"Last name?"

"I don't have one."

The woman eyeballed him again with aggravation before shaking her head. "Sephiroth." She scanned up and down her roster and found no such name. "Which child are you picking up today?"

"Marlene Wallace and Denzel Strife."

"I'm afraid, Sir that you are a not authorized to pick these kids up from school."

Sephiroth was starting to get irritated with her. "Listen, Lady, I appreciate you keeping these kids protected, but it's storming out there, I'm wet, the people behind me are wet, and _you_ are holding up the line! Now, if you please…" He tried to keep his voice down, but the fact of the matter was that the storm was actually getting worse and he could hear the parents behind him getting anxious about their children.

The woman just huffed and rolled her eyes before going into the back office before turning. "You can seat over there, Sir."

Sephiroth said nothing as he sat down in one of the chairs at the end of the office. He watched continuously as parents were successfully reunited with their kids and he still hadn't even been acknowledged again.

But just as he was about to throw a fit, a teacher came around the corner with Marlene and Denzel. Sephiroth instantly stood up, but paused when he noticed her talking to them.

"Alright, Denzel, can you tell me if your mommy and daddy are here?" She sounded sickly sweet, as if she were talking to baby. It written all over Denzel's face, how annoying this woman probably was.

"No. My mother and father are not here." He responded stiffly, hoping to beat his age into this woman's brain. "But my Uncle Sephiroth is here."

"Where is he?" She looked around at the line of parents.

"There." He pointed at Sephiroth who was walking up to them.

"Oh…my…" The teacher seemed almost apprehensive about turning the children over to him. He looked menacing, being so tall and big, and wearing his signature coat complete with that scowl on his face didn't help.

"Sephiroth!" Marlene was more than happy to wrench herself free from the teacher's grasp and run into Sephiroth's open arms.

"Are you sure, this is your…_Uncle?_"

"Positive." Denzel also shrugged the woman off and made a run for it.

"I've got your coats." Sephiroth quickly produced their rain gear and suited them up, ready to rush them home.

What a nightmare that was.

The rain pummeled them endlessly, almost making their coats and umbrellas null and void. They were still soaking wet as soon as they got home. And of course, it was pitch black with the power still out. So without wasting any time, Sephiroth lit some candles and arranged them in the bathroom so the kids could wash up.

As soon as they were bathed and dry, Sephiroth started dinner. It wasn't much, but it was what he could selvage from the rapidly warming refrigerator. Just some ham and chicken flavored stuffing. But it was hot and warmed them all from the inside.

"So what now?" Marlene asked as she propped her elbows on the table.

"Beats me." Denzel replied breathily.

"Did you two have any homework?" Sephiroth asked as he cleared away the dishes.

"No." Denzel sighed with yawn.

"Well, you can read a book."

"Yeah, but the candles would burn down too fast."

"Alright well…what do you normally do when the power goes out?"

"It doesn't go out that often so…"

These kids didn't have much life in them today. Sephiroth wasn't sure if it was the weather or if they were just missing their mother.

"Come on you two, let's play another card game." He tried to keep the air light with a

"I don't want to." Marlene ran upstairs, followed by Denzel. They'd left Sephiroth standing there alone in the semi darkness, his feelings thoroughly wounded.

* * *

**That whole issue that Sephiroth had with picking up the kids actually happened to me almost verbatim when I went to get my nephews from school this one time. XD **


	13. Chapter XIII: Plenty of Fish

**I do no own Final Fantasy VII. This is probably my shortest chapter. I'm hoping to keep this story going as long as I desire, I'm seeing a rapid end to it and I'm trying to prolong it as much as I can...This is my new favorite and I don't want to see it end so soon. DX**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XIII: Plenty of Fish**

The rain beat down harder and harder with no sign of stopping. Tifa huddled back in her seat, keeping quiet. The driver commented on the storm and asked her if she wanted to turn back. But Tifa just shook her head. She wasn't really up for conversation either, as he started talking. It sounded like blabber to her, but she added some of her input to make it sound like she was really listening. The driver had known Tifa since she opened Seventh Heaven, and knew that she wasn't normally this antisocial. He didn't hold it against her either.

"Tifa? What's bothering you?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired...This type of weather makes me so sleepy." She lied, putting one of her famous false smiles to appease him.

"Ok." He knew better than force her to talk.

Truth be told, Tifa was overflowing with anxiety. She couldn't see any sunlight breaking through the dark clouds or on the horizon. It was black as night and she worried if the children made it home alright, if Sephiroth was looking after them. Was Cloud caught in this storm, was _he_ alright? What mess will she come home to in a couple of days? Would she be able to eat or sleep while she was gone? Speaking of which, she sure hoped that Elmyra had some tea brewing when she got there.

Due to the weather, the 30 minute ride turned into an hour and half. Tifa couldn't have been more relieved to arrive in Kalm. Thanking her neighbor twice over, she grabbed her suitcase and ran up to Elmyra's door. The eave hung over the porch just enough to shield her from the rain, but she still managed to get soaked.

Elmyra answered promptly as she knocked, admitting her instantly. "Are you alright?" She grabbed a towel from the folded laundry on the dining table and draped it across Tifa's shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm just wet." She laughed as she tossed her bag to the side and dried her hair.

"Well, come on Dear, let's go upstairs and get you cleaned up." Elmyra took her suitcase and lead her up to the second bedroom.

When she entered the room, Tifa was overtaken with a sense of tranquility. This was a good place; she would be able to relax, she was sure of that now. She always thought that this room was so beautiful. It had an old world feel, with the whitewashed walls and the lanterns suspended from the rafters with chains, the white rattan bed with a floral coverlet, and the lace curtains dressing the windows. It reminded her of her old house from when she was a girl.

The bathroom was just as charming. It too sported whitewashed walls and a porcelain footed bathtub with brass fixtures; the toilet was set behind a lacy folded partition, and there was no sink but an old fashioned washbasin and pitcher. This house was old and the plumbing had only been added when Elmyra moved in, but she'd only had enough funds to provide plumbing to the two toilets, the two bathtubs, and the kitchen sink; being just shy of having enough for the bathroom sinks. But she didn't mind, and neither did Tifa. In fact, Tifa thought it added to the appeal of the room.

"I'll leave you to it." Elmyra said as she placed some clean towels on a small foot stool beside the washbasin. "I'll have some tea ready for you when you come down."

"Thank you."

Tifa felt the stress melt away as she slid into the steamy bathwater. It couldn't have been a better experience. Even the storm raging outside just beyond the window added to her relaxation. She hadn't anticipated it being this easy, but for some reason, just being alone in the hot water lifted her tension away.

"Now…I can think…" Her thoughts had been so scrambled with "what ifs" and "maybes" that she'd been unable to deal with her problem. She'd kissed Sephiroth and she liked it. So what now? It was clear that Sephiroth fancied her; otherwise he'd not have initiated it. But how did she feel? Tifa loved Cloud; she had always loved him, ever since they were kids. She thought about the moment she knew she was in love. It was when she'd woke from her coma, finding out that Cloud had pretty much been at her side the entire time. So how long ago was that? About ten years, possibly more?

That's a long time to wait for someone…

But how long would she continue to wait? Probably for the rest of her life. Of course, until Sephiroth woke up and changed her life once again. Only now did she question herself. She'd become so used to living this way, that she hadn't even thought about how pathetic it was.

She managed to lift herself out of the water. Stepping over the side of the tub, she grabbed one of the fluffy white towels from the stool and dried off. Wandering back to her room, she considered getting dressed, but thought it was useless, so instead put on her pajamas. With her soft house slippers on her cold feet, she went down stairs, finding Elmyra in the sitting room, arranging little teacakes on a china saucer.

"Those look delicious!" Tifa said in awe as she sat down beside her.

"And you look comfortable." Elmyra chuckled offering her a cup of tea. "Just the way you like it, with three sugars."

"Thank you." Tifa accepted the exquisitely decorated teacup and sipped from it quietly. The steaming hot tea slid down her throat, warming her wonderfully on the inside. The lingering tension in her shoulders loosened though was replaced with simple sadness.

Lowering the cup from her lips and placing it back on the saucer, she gazed solemnly at the piece, running her thumb over the beautiful pink roses; noticing the sea foam blue cross-hatching, accented with gold flourishes. Admiring something so lovely did well to take her mind off of her troubles, but she could still feel the pressure in her heart tormenting her.

"So, do you want to talk about it now or later?" Elmyra asked forwardly, wishing to get to the bottom of Tifa's worsening depression. The girl had always been so strong; putting up such a good front for her friends and family, but it was deteriorating. Her façade was cracking apart little by little, revealing the broken woman beneath.

"I suppose that now is as good a time as ever." Tifa took another sip, before placing the saucer back on the table.

She did not look at Elmyra, keeping her eyes pinned to her clasped hands. Elmyra remained quiet, waiting for her to continue. She didn't want to pressure Tifa by urging to her to speak; it would make her feel more uncomfortable. Tifa would begin when she was ready.

"I don't know how to start." Tifa lowered her head and closed her eyes.

"What is the problem about?" Elmyra scooted closer to her, remembering Tifa's desire to have her mother with her. So she slid into that roll now and wrapped her arm tenderly around her shoulders and eased her back against the sofa. "What's making you so sad?" She already knew the answer, but wanted Tifa to admit it to herself.

"I really…really love Cloud…but he's not in love with me." Tifa's lip trembled as she spoke, her heart beginning to nag in her chest.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because when I told him, he just shrugged and didn't act like it mattered."

"Is that all that's wrong?"

"No." Tifa swallowed her tears. "Since I let Sephiroth stay with us, Cloud's been even more distant, which is understandable, but I was hoping that after everything that happened, we'd have been brought closer together, but that's not how it turned out."

"How has it been with Sephiroth being there?"

"I've been torn."

"By that what do you mean?"

Tifa shook her head, not really knowing how to put it. "I both hate and love his company. About two weeks ago he was my most mortal enemy, I'd have done anything to destroy him…But since he's been living with us, he's been the most wonderful friend I could ever ask for. I-I feel like he's a completely different person…before when I thought about him, when I saw him, I was filled with so much rage and thought he was the most monstrous abomination ever to walk the planet…But now when I look at him, I see a man…like any other man. I think he's handsome and kind…and…just…" She dropped her head into her hand and fought to contain herself. "…But I still think about what he's done…I remember the people that I loved, that he took from me. I have to remind myself almost every day that it wasn't his fault."

"It was Jenova." Elmyra reiterated.

"Yes." Tifa leaned her head against her shoulder.

"There's something a little bit deeper that's got your emotions stirred up, isn't there?"

Tifa managed a grin, "You see through everything, don't you?"

"My daughter is gone, but I'm a still a mom, Tifa…and moms know when something is wrong." Emyra smoothed her damp hair, raking back the clingy locks.

"Night before last, Sephiroth kissed me." She felt Elmyra stiffen, but she remained silent, allowing Tifa to continue. "It was my first real kiss and I'm so disappointed that it wasn't Cloud."

Elmyra sighed heavily, pondering deeply this new quandary. This was an issue, that much was certain, especially since she did not approve of it at all. Of course, it wasn't her place to say who Tifa could and could not have a relationship with, but she'd always considered Tifa to be like another daughter to her, and Sephiroth was the last person she wanted this sweet girl involved with.

"How did it make you feel? In the moment, I mean."

"In the moment…" Tifa thought back to the kiss and how she felt as though her blood was on fire, "…In the moment there was nothing but us…I'd never been kissed so passionately before, so…I was probably just overwhelmed by it."

"Did you feel guilty about it?"

"At the same time yes and no. Yes, because I only wanted to kiss Cloud like that. And no, because Cloud and I have nothing between us anyway, so there's no reason for any guilt."

"Well, Sweetheart, I'll tell you what's bothering you now." She let Tifa lift hear head to look her in the eye. Taking her cheeks in her hands Elmyra planted a kiss on her forehead and said, "You've thoroughly confused yourself. And the only way to make it better is to decide what's best in the long run. You _deserve_ a good man who will take care of you. So what you need to do now, is weigh your pros and cons. I know it sounds a little cold in regards to your boys, but it's up to _you_ to decide where you go from here."

"How?"

"Carefully consider how you really feel about them. I know you've been infatuated with Cloud since you were a child, but it's time to grow up and understand that there's plenty of fish in the sea. Life is hard and love is even harder. It's clear to me from what you've said and what I've witnessed, that Cloud is not interested in you as a lover."

Elmyra might as well have stabbed her in the chest and ripped out her heart. How could she say something so cruel? Tifa felt her tears being to roll down her cheeks. Elmyra wiped her tears away and pulled in her for a tight hug.

"I'm sorry Tifa, I know you'd do anything for him. But you know what? _Sephiroth_ would do anything for _you_. Don't think I wasn't paying attention when you two visited me the other day. He cares about you, Tifa, I know he does. If he didn't truly feel something deep for you he wouldn't have made the promise to keep you safe…He wouldn't have felt like he owed either of us anything." She lifted her back up and dried her face with her apron. "You need to consider that when you decide what to do. I personally would like to see him rot…But, that man loves you, whether either of you realize it or not."

"You really think so?" Tifa sniffed, as she reached with a trembling hand for her tea.

"I know so."


	14. Chapter XIV: Secret Stash

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. I had most of this chapter written back a while ago and was originally going to be chapter ten, but I thought it fit in better here instead.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XIV: Secret Stash **

The storm outside was everlasting. Parts of the city had already flooded and Sephiroth was preparing for the worst. He'd already made sure there were plenty of food and enough candles and oil for the lanterns. He'd tried phoning Tifa, but the lines were down.

The radio however still worked as long as it had batteries.

He tried to tune it to a news channel and found nothing but horrendous static until finally he found the weather station. The power was out across Edge, flooding in various areas, and the school was closed until further notice.

"That's just wonderful." Sephiroth thought sarcastically. It wasn't that he didn't want the children to remain home, but they'd only had two full days of classes and now this happens…So much for starting somewhat normal lives.

It was only Tuesday, and Tifa wouldn't be home until Thursday. So he had two days to try to entertain the kids before they die of boredom. It was easier said than done. Sephiroth was beginning to feel like a moth in a bottle. The kids had been depressed since the previous day, and he knew it was because they wanted their parents. But it really couldn't be helped. He supposed it was his fault though, for suggesting Tifa go on a trip, but he hadn't anticipated this happening.

"Hey Marlene, what do you think about Sephiroth?" Denzel asked as he busied himself with his model airship. It was something he'd been meaning to ask, but never really found a moment to bring it up.

"I like him." Marlene giggled, grabbing her hairbrush as she proceeded to give her doll a make-over. "Why'd you ask?"

"I was just wondering; Cloud told me all kinds of awful things about him, but…He doesn't seem like such a bad guy."

"Hmm-mmn," She shook her head. "Nope, he's really nice and he likes Tifa a lot."

"Yeah. I've seen them hold hands all the time." Denzel uttered as he steadily painted a stripe on a portion of his model. Then his hand fell. He stared at the model blankly, as if he'd made a grave mistake. But he wasn't really looking at the toy, he was picturing something in his mind, a notion he'd only just considered. "Hey, you don't think…ugh…never mind."

"What?" Marlene tore her attention away from her doll as she looked up at her brother.

"I've seen him look at her." Denzel turned around in his chair and propped his elbow on the backrest.

"What do you mean? Of course he looks at her." Marlene chuckled.

"No, I mean…he _looks_ at her…I don't think he just likes Tifa; I think he _likes_ her, you know, like _that_." His eyes were wide and he seemed surprised that he'd just now thought of this.

Marlene was slightly clueless until her eyes grew enormous and her face blushed pinker than her bow. "You think Sephiroth loves Tifa?" She felt the heat rise in her cheeks and she clutched her doll to her chest.

Denzel nodded, biting his lip. The two children stared at each other for a long time before returning to their own separate tasks. The same thoughts plagued both their minds but they did not voice these worries. Denzel was far more tormented with it than Marlene was.

In the time that they'd lived there, the children had come to accept each other as brother and sister, and Tifa was most definitely their mom. But for Marlene, she already had Barret as her father and viewed Cloud as an older brother or an uncle, but Tifa was her mother. Denzel on the other hand, also looked at Tifa and saw his mom, but _Cloud _was his dad. The two of them looked at their friends and noticed those who still had two parents, that they're mothers and fathers were married and happy. But these two who shared a mother and had separate fathers were suddenly confused by their parents' relationships.

Marlene's situation wasn't so confusing, as she'd grown up with it, knowing nothing else. Besides, Tifa truly behaved more like a big sister until only recently. But for Denzel, he was completely dumbfounded by his new parents. He hadn't thought about it until just then, about why his parents weren't only unmarried, but they didn't even behave like a couple. It upset his young heart to think about it, especially because it was evident, even to him, that Tifa wanted to be with Cloud that way…but Cloud didn't seem to care.

But Denzel's mind had digressed; the true cause of his confusion was the idea of Sephiroth falling in love with Tifa. What if she fell for him too? What if they got married? Who would Sephiroth be to him? Who was he to him now? How would it affect his life as far as Cloud went? It was a conundrum that threw off the balance of his world.

"I gotta go ask him something." Denzel slid from his chair and ran out the door.

Marlene tossed her doll to the side and ran after him, curiosity gripping her. "Wait for me!"

As soon as they left the room, they rounded the corner, finding Sephiroth sitting quietly in the living room reading an old magazine. He glanced up to them, a pleasant grin crossing his lips.

"Hello children." He tossed the magazine on the table and reclined back on the sofa.

"Hey." Denzel flopped down beside him, followed by Marlene on his other side. "Sephiroth, I've got a question."

"You can ask me anything." Sephiroth was all ears.

"Do you love Tifa?" The boy wasn't going to beat around the bush.

Sephiroth's eyes flared and they darted awkwardly away before returning to meet with Denzel's. That was probably the last question he'd expected him to ask.

"That's a loaded question." He shied away from it. Cloud had pretty much accused him of being in love with Tifa and now his son was outright asking him. "What brought up that topic?"

"We were just noticing how you and Tifa are always around each other and how you always, ya know, hold hands and stuff." Denzel felt a little embarrassed now that he'd asked.

Sephiroth laughed at this, he didn't bellow, but a deep amused giggle escaped his throat. "Is there something wrong with grown-ups holding hands?"

"Well…no…I-I guess not." Denzel and Marlene just looked at each other. "Listen, I was just wondering…If you and Tifa ever got married…what would that make you to me?"

"If we got _married?_" Sephiroth was nearly speechless with that one, "Dear boy, what in the world –"

"It's just _pretend!_" Marlene came to the rescue, hoping to set the discussion back on track. "We were just wondering, since Cloud and Tifa aren't married, but they're both Denzel's parents, what would that make someone who married one of them?"

"Oh." Sephiroth closed his eyes thoughtfully, understanding this as a theoretical discussion and replied accordingly. "Well, anyone who married them would, I assume, be considered a stepparent. For example, if I did happen to marry Tifa, I'd be your stepfather. Think of me as an extra dad."

"Oh…" Denzel and Marlene looked at each other again. That was an easy enough answer. It seemed a lot more complicated in their heads than it really was. But perhaps, they thought, they were over analyzing the situation. But it still bothered Denzel that his mother and father weren't together; of course this was a different topic, skewed from the subject of Sephiroth's relationship with Tifa, however there was relevance to Denzel. "Hey, can I ask something else?"

"Sure." Sephiroth braced himself for whatever erupted from his mouth next.

"So, you're just friends, right?"

"Yes, we're just friends." Sephiroth attempted to read the expression on his face, hoping find the true meaning behind these off kilter inquiries. But from what he could tell, this child really could be a poker champion.

"So…do you think Cloud and Tifa will ever get married?"

Now the truth comes out. The man sighed heavily, looking from side to side at these two children. How he adored both of them. He didn't want to hurt their feelings, but he didn't want to lie to them either.

"I don't really know, Denzel. I really don't." He looked at him apologetically, then his expression changed into something a little more devious. "So what really made you ask if I was in love with Tifa?"

"Well…I just gotta funny feeling."

Sephiroth smirked and drew them in closer. "Can you two a secret?"

"Yeah."

"The truth is…I care about her very, very much…and to be honest, I don't really know if I love her. It's a complicated matter, you understand? Sometimes someone might like somebody, but that other person likes somebody else. But, Denzel, I've only been here for a couple of weeks…falling in love just doesn't happen that fast; it's not always like it is in fairytales."

"_Oh_…ok." His face fell just then.

"You seem disappointed."

"No, I was just curious."

The night seemed long to Sephiroth, he wasn't at all tired, so he attempted to exhaust himself by pacing around the bar. He'd walked from wall to wall and back again, but he didn't so much as yawn. His body didn't even ache for rest.

His mind was flooding over with thoughts about Tifa and what the children had asked earlier that day. It seemed almost random, but it wasn't without cause. Sephiroth was sure that the kids had noticed how he and Tifa got along, but he'd not expected that they'd read that far into it. They were children, but they were not stupid. They'd almost forced it out him though, but he wanted to smooth it over with a slightly ambiguous answer, not wanting to risk having them relay his feelings to Tifa.

Of course he loved her. He loved everything he'd learned about her and was certain he'd love everything he had yet to learn. She was perfect for him though she herself was imperfect. He wasn't sure when he'd fallen for her, but he was sure of how he felt. But the children couldn't know about it, and neither could Tifa…at least not yet. He wanted to tell her at the perfect time.

"Sephiroth?" Denzel's voice uttered tiredly behind him.

Sephiroth spun on his heels, finding the boy standing in the doorway, rubbing his eyes as he dusted the sleep from them. It was shameful for Sephiroth that he was caught off guard by a mere child, but it was also relieving, as it was further proof of his rediscovered humanity.

"What's the matter, Denzel?" Sephiroth watched as the boy approached him.

"I can't sleep because of the thunder and lightning. It's keeping me awake." The poor boy looked exhausted.

"What about Marlene?"

"She sleeps like a baby in weather like this…and I hope she stays like that." Denzel meandered toward the cabinet and shoved Marlene's stool against the wall before using it to scale the cabinets to reach the small box of candy in the back behind the food. It wasn't the same treats that he normally ate though.

"Denzel, what are you doing?" Sephiroth wasn't aware of this secret stash, and was fairly certain that Denzel wasn't meant to have them. "Are those Tifa's chocolates?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously, catching clearly the alarm in his young eyes.

"I'll give you one if you promise not to tell?" The child looked a little like a deer in headlights.

"Why are you taking your mother's sweets?" He ignored the bribe and instead was set on putting the boy right.

"Because…they're just so good…" Denzel went to a table and slowly opened the box, disregarding Sephiroth's "evil eye".

"You need to put them back." Sephiroth's voice was stern and he was intent on getting Denzel back to bed. "If you eat your mother's chocolate, she'll be very sad when she finds them gone."

"Oh come on, can I please just have one?" Denzel's bright green eyes looked so big and watery, like he'd die a long and painful death if he didn't eat the chocolate.

Sephiroth didn't want to give in to him, but the soft spot he had for children – this one in particular – made his heart ache. "Alright," He breathed airly, "you can only have _one_, but that is it, and it's off to bed with you."

"Thank you, Sephiroth! You're the best!" Denzel reached into the box and produced a peculiar choclate stick, about the size and shape of his little finger and bit into his slowly…deliberately. There was look of pure elation on the boy's face, like he was ascending to heaven.

With curiosity, Sephiroth lifted the lid to his view and noticed that it was completely black with gold filigree around the edges. There was a small logo in the center, a regal sort of coat of arms, something he didn't recognize.

"Are they good?" He asked finally, after Denzel had completed his piece.

"They are the best thing in the world."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at him, skepticism etching his features. "Let me try one."

Reaching in, Sephiroth stole his own share. Running his finger over the rippled surface of the candy, he was a little hesitant about eating this coveted delicacy, but at length, he took the first bite.

Heaven.

There was the sweet taste of milk chocolate, quickly chased by an assault of sour orange gelatin, perfectly arranged to create the most succulent and sensuous flavor imaginable. It was clear why Tifa hid this box in the back of the cupboard.

"Amazing." Sephiroth breathed.

"Isn't though?"

"How did you know about these?"

"When I was sick, Tifa shared some with me in the middle of the night once. It's only time she eats them." Denzel snuck another one when Sephiroth finally yawned, tossing it in his mouth and making quick work of it.

"What do you call these?"

"I don't know what the real name is, but me and Tifa call them 'Secrets'. Because when she shared them with me, she said 'this will be our little secret'. And it stuck."

"So you're the only one who knows about them?" Sephiroth swiftly stole another one when Denzel tore gaze away as he stretched.

"Yeah. She said it was magic chocolate and that it would make me feel better. That's not true though, even if they are really really good." Denzel managed to steal another one from under Sephiroth's nose.

"So tell me, Denzel…About earlier this afternoon, why did you ask about me and Tifa? Come on, you can tell me the truth."

Denzel fell still and quiet. He didn't really want to talk about it, face grew hot and his stomach flip-flopped as he thought about it. It was kind of an embarrassing subject for him.

"I don't know." He whimpered as he idly bit into another piece of candy. "I guess I miss my real mom and dad."

"I'm sorry Denzel." Sephiroth suddenly felt guilty for reminding him of his parents, but Denzel shook his head.

"Don't be…they weren't really great parents." It was shocking to Sephiroth that Denzel would say something like that; it just wasn't like him at all. But he noticed his saddened eyes beneath his tousled bangs. He'd said that to make himself appear stronger, to force himself to believe that he shouldn't miss them…He hadn't meant it at all.

Sephiroth took another chocolate.

"How about _this_ family?"

"I really love this family." He looked up at him and looked him straight in the eye as he slowly reached into the box for another chocolate…or two… "But I wish that I had parents who were married. It feels weird to me that my real parents were married, and that my friends' parents are married, but my new mom and dad don't really even talk that much. It makes me feel weird."

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Sephiroth's eyebrows knitted as he attempted to put himself into Denzel's place.

"I really only thought about it today." Denzel rested his forehead on his arm, discretely shoving the chocolate into his mouth and chewing it up with haste.

"But it's truly hurting you isn't it?"

The child only nodded as he kept his eyes buried in his arm. Sephiroth took this opportunity to steal another piece of candy.

"I just want my mom and dad to act like they love each other…so that it really feels like they're my parents. It just doesn't really feel like a real family if they don't."

"Denzel, you know that's not true. They're your parents regardless of how they act around each other."

"I _know_, but it's weird."

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you that I never knew my real parents?"

Denzel looked up at him, waiting to hear his tale. Sephiroth recounted, with restriction, how he grew up inside Shinra, what he'd been told about his mother, and how his father was less than desirable. He tried not to draw it out, wanting to keep it to the point, but he'd felt himself begin to feel ill at the thought of his mother. Wishing he knew who she really was. If it wasn't Jenova, when who was she and where was she? Is she dead or could she possibly still be alive? It unclear to him which details he was told were true and so far, all he'd discovered had turned up false. With an incredulous gaze, Denzel had listened intently to the whole story as Sephiroth recounted. It was saddening and he almost wished he'd not said anything in the first place.

"Whoa…" Denzel whispered thoughtfully, "…suddenly, _my_ life doesn't look so bad."

Sephiroth regretted it a bit, fearing his story was a bit disturbing for a ten-year-old, but he continued,"Be grateful for your parents, even if they aren't grateful for each other." Sephiroth advised, at which Denzel nodded fervently. "I'd rather have had both a mother and father who weren't in love than none at all. At least they both love _you_ _and Marlene_, that's what matters the most."

"Right, I remember."

"Good. Now off to bed!" He commanded gently and Denzel hopped out of the chair and started past him before turning back and hugging him tightly around the waist.

"Hey Sephiroth…I was just thinking…Maybe when the rain stops, we can see if we can find your real mom."

Sephiroth's heart lurched in his chest when he'd heard that. He felt a little nauseated, but at the same time, he felt warm, like Denzel just poured some love into his aching body. It was a welcome sensation and he was suddenly hopeful.

"That's sound like a good idea."

"Yeah! When the rain stops, we'll go out and find her!" Denzel smiled brightly before running up to his room.

Sephiroth remained at the bar with the open box of chocolates. Almost absently, he reached over to grab another piece until his hand touched cardboard. At first he thought he'd just missed the box all together, until he looked over and found it completely empty.

"Damn it."


	15. Chapter XV: Awkward Suggestion

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XV: Awkward Suggestion**

Tifa lie in her bed, relishing the softness of the cotton sheets and listening to the rain beat against the window panes. It was softer now than it had been, a possible sign that the storm was just about over. It rained nonstop for two full days and now it was finally passing. She rolled over, cuddling her pillows closer and sighed dreamily. It was so nice to be able to sleep in, not to have to worry about feeding the children or cleaning the bar. To just lie there with no obligation for anything else was sheer bliss.

Her body did not ache as it normally did, she felt light somehow.

"Today will be a better day." She whispered to herself. "Today, I will relax and not think of anything." She yawned as she sat up and slid over the side of the bed. Heading into the bathroom, she went about her morning routine.

Elmyra was preparing breakfast as Tifa came down. Both of them were still in their nightclothes, unconcerned with getting dressed. After all, there was no rush to be anywhere or to do anything other than what they pleased.

"What's for breakfast?" Tifa asked as she entered the kitchen, the smell of homemade pancakes and fruit wafting to her nose.

"Pancakes with strawberries and cream." Elmyra affirmed with a smile. "So how was your night?"

"I slept really well, thank you." Tifa took a seat at the tiny round dining table.

"I knew you would. So did you have any dreams?"

Tifa closed her eyes briefly, trying to recollect. "I don't remember if I did."

"A pity." Elmyra carried over Tifa's plate with a glass of milk. "I was actually rather hoping that you'd dream the solution to your dilemma."

Tifa's lips twitched with a hint of smile as she took a sip of her milk. "I'm glad I didn't dream about it; in fact I was hoping to go all day without thinking about it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Dear." Elmyra felt a bit guilty for bringing it up, having assumed that Tifa had been deliberating it silently in her mind.

"It's alright; I really should be trying to decide."

"Take all the time you need, Tifa, there should be no rush when the heart is involved."

Tifa only smiled as she dug into her pancakes.

After breakfast, Tifa returned to her room to change into her clothes. She wasn't planning on going anywhere, but she thought it best to get dressed anyway. She busied herself on which dress to where that day, she heard the careful thudding on the windows begin to pick up speed and stampede into a frenzy. Casting a disdainful eye at the window, she decided it just wasn't worth it and opted to stay in her pajamas, at least they were comfortable.

"I hate the rain…" She whimpered before flopping on her bed.

An hour passed and Elmyra was busy cleaning up the kitchen when the door rattled with a loud bang. She'd initially thought it was thunder, paying it no mind, until the banging persisted frantically. Wiping her hands on her apron, she cautiously approached the door, pausing momentarily before opening it. Who could be visiting her in this uncanny rain? She was concerned about who it was, wondering if Sephiroth would be on the other side, or some other unwanted guest. But as the pounding continued, she ran back into the kitchen and grabbed a large knife from the drawer and, hiding it in her apron, she opened the door.

The one who'd been making such a ruckus stumbled into the house, completely soaked from head to toe, and tracked mud and water into her living room. Elmyra was not of want to allow him inside, though she quickly closed the door and reached for a throw blanket when she realized who it was.

"Cloud?" She grabbed his arm and lifted him up, as he'd previous doubled over, gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry, Elmyra. I didn't mean to intrude." He'd apologized breathily, allowing her to guide him into a chair.

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing really, I'm just wet. I was riding toward Edge and ran right into this storm." Cloud was freezing all over, having been riding in the storm for about an hour before arriving in Kalm.

"Stay right here, I'll get you something warm to drink." She'd left him alone in the living room, letting him rest by the lit fireplace.

But Cloud didn't stay there. Instead he headed upstairs to the spare bedroom where he'd kept a spare change of clothes in the dresser for cases such as this. As he entered the room, he'd not noticed the resting form of Tifa on the bed. She'd slid back under the coverlet and nodded back off, having since decided that she needed more sleep.

Cloud grabbed his clean outfit from the back of the dresser drawer and casually wandered into the bathroom where he quickly got into the tub. These types of bathtubs were simply the best, providing the most amazing feeling as one is entirely submerged in the steamy water. He figured it was perhaps the old-fashioned style of the tub and the further antique motif of the room. It was beautiful and so relaxing, a world away from anything he could have in Edge.

When Elmyra returned to the living room with a steaming bowl of oatmeal and a mug of hot chocolate, she was surprised to find Cloud missing.

"Oh no…" She nearly dropped the tray as she thought about where he might have gone.

Placing the tray on the table, Elmyra followed his muddy boot prints across the wooden floor, up the stairs, and to the spare bedroom. The room where Tifa was supposed to be getting dressed. She wanted to knock, but her gut told her it wouldn't be right; she might disturb whatever meaningful conversation they might be having. With a gulp, she decided that as long she didn't hear any noise or cries of agony, they were alright. However, she did make a mental tally of all the places she was sure Cloud would want to be buried after Tifa murdered him. So, placing her confidence them, she went back down stairs.

Tifa rolled over and woke with the sudden urge to use the toilet. With a yawn and a groan, she kicked back the sheets and found her way sleepily into the bathroom, meandering completely past Cloud, who'd also slid off into sleepytime land. Tifa's eyes were blurry and once she was behind the lacy partition and she'd completed her task, she decided that a hot bath would be nice. So, shedding her clothes, she slinked to the other side of the partition just as Cloud was opening his eyes.

As soon as they saw each other, their hearts stopped.

There was a full five seconds of awkward silence before Tifa screamed and ran behind the partition. Shuddering with embarrassment she grabbed the fluffy robe that hung on the hook by the washbasin. She trembled uncontrollably, not having expected him to be there. How long had he been there? Did he hear her use the toilet? Her entire body was blushed over with pink and she felt extremely hot. She was unsure of how to feel, if she should be embarrassed or excited. The man she loved just saw her entirely naked, something she'd dreamed about for years, but given the fragile state of her emotions, she wasn't sure this was such a great idea. Cloud was still as a statue, frozen from shock. He wasn't sure if he was embarrassed or thoroughly pleasured. Of course he'd just seen his childhood friend completely in the nude, something he'd never expected and – at least recently – had not wanted to see…However, personal issues aside, she is in fact a woman and a beautiful one at that. So how should he feel about it? Disturbed, aroused, or indifferent? For both their sakes, he chose indifferent.

So grabbing a towel, Cloud stepped out from the tub and covered himself. He stayed on his side of the partition, regardless of the fact that he could somewhat see her through the lace and knew she was covered.

"Tifa," He said amiably, "It's alright now, you can come over here."

"No." She choked. "I…I can't."

"Don't be embarrassed…if it's any consolation…I think you look pretty." Cloud cringed when he said that, immediately kicking himself in the ass for it.

Tifa remained silent for a few seconds before replying. "You really mean it?"

"Umm…yeah." Cloud breathed in deeply, trying to shake the lingering image of her body from his mind. _Damn…she was built! But I don't really care to see it again…_

Slowly, Tifa shuffled around the screen and faced Cloud. Her robe was secured around her with the sash, but she continued to hold onto the front to maintain some security. Cloud too held onto his towel for exactly the same reason. Both of them were uncomfortable like that, unsure of how to go on. Cloud was planning the best method of escape while Tifa's mind fluttered with all sorts of possibilities, trying to decipher the best course of action to possibly remain like this…or better yet, for both of them to get naked together.

It was probably a little impetuous and brazen, but Tifa figured that if she didn't do it then she wouldn't know how he'd react. After all, she used to be the business of providing men with sexual favors and fantasies. So she gathered her nerve and looked him in the eye before slowly untying the robe and letting it fall from her shoulders and finally slide off of her arms, landing in a pile at her feet. Cloud's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open before closing again. His Adam's apple bobbed nervously as he swallowed hard. His eyes drifted along her body, lingering in the usual places – her breasts, obviously, and the carefully manicured V of hair at her thighs. He felt his heart begin to race so fast he could hear the blood pulsing in his ears. Cloud pulled his towel tighter around him, hoping to ease the swell of his penis beneath.

Finally, he averted his eyes and turned around to face the window. "Tifa…what are you doing?" He whispered softly, trying to not sound like he was choking.

Tifa's heart skipped a beat and she took it a step further, attempting to turn on the charm that she once used to attract "Johnnies". Approaching him from behind, she placed a hand on his shoulder and slid her nails down his back. She could feel the rapid face of his heart through the thick muscles of his back and she then understood the effect she was having on him. She was arousing him physically, but could take control of his mind with it? She crept up further still, wrapping her arms around his waist and allowing her naked form to press against him. Placing her ear against his shoulder, she could hear his heartbeat and how it mingled with her own. It was so unlike her to try something like this, but she wasn't going to wait around any longer for him to make the first move.

Slowly, she placed a soft kiss on his shoulder, and followed it up with several more fleeting kisses along his heated skin. Her breath tickled him and he reflexively tensed up and purred at it. He didn't want to upset her, but he had to end it before it went any further. Cloud turned around in her embrace and his breath hitched when she continued her trail of kisses under his arm and around to his chest. Gently placing his hands on her shoulders, he felt her own feverish aura. He considered giving in to her, but in the end it would only lead to more awkward feelings and she'd be left thinking he'd just used her, but then of course he would've had.

So he gently eased her away. He didn't want to upset her, but he needed out of this situation. Tifa responded by putting her arms back around him.

"Cloud…" She breathed seductively, "…Tell me what you want…I'll do _anything_…"

Cloud took a chance and met her eyes once again, finding them burning with hot fiery passion. He knew she wanted him, he knew she'd do anything she could to please him in every way imaginable, he knew…But he didn't want her to. He didn't want her to waste herself on him. But…it was just too easy…he could just let go and do it, he could just toss her on the floor and have his way…

So he pushed into her, causing her to ease backward. It startled her, having not expected this. Her heart skipped faster, wondering what would come next. Cloud bowed his head down, his dripping wet hair brushing against her breast, causing her nipples to tighten. She felt his breath caress her thigh as he knelt down. Tifa's body trembled all the more as waited.

"Tifa, I want…." Cloud uttered as he rose up again, "…you to get dressed." He promptly wrapped her robe back around her shoulders.

"Cloud?"

"Come on, Tifa, Elmyra's probably wondering about us."

Tifa only nodded and went back behind the partition to put her pajamas back on. Cloud took this moment to put on his own change of clothes and together they returned downstairs. They kept a reasonable distance between them, not wanting to alarm Elmyra but not wanting to get too close.

Tifa felt that disgusting nagging in her stomach, the feeling of rejection. It made her hurt, like it did the first time. _Stupid girl_…She should've known that if he rejected her once, he'd do it again. But she was hoping that he'd accept what she was offering. The first time she came out to him, she'd confessed that she loved him, this time around she was just trying to have sex with him. She knew that love and sex didn't necessarily go hand-in-hand, and was praying that he'd _rise_ to the occasion. _Perhaps he doesn't even really find me attractive_, she thought miserably.

"You've got a floor to clean!" Elmyra scolded as Cloud stepped down to the landing. Cloud gulped as he looked at his muddy boot prints along the hardwood floors. Releasing a heavy sigh, he nodded.

"Right…I'll get right on it." He moseyed over to the broom cupboard where he grabbed the mop and bucket.

Tifa was about to help when Elmyra caught her arm. "That's his chore, Dear. He made the mess, so he cleans it up. Come with me, Sweetheart, I want to talk to you." She followed her back upstairs, on this time they went up to Elmyra's room.

Once inside, Elmyra closed the door behind her and locked it. Tifa stared at her with some worry in her eyes. Elmyra addressed the distress in her face with a smile, "Just in case he tries to peek." She went over to an old sideboard beneath the window. Upon its surface sat a flowerpot, a trinket box, and an old music box. Clearing these items and removing the lace doily from it, she revealed the sideboard to be an old chest.

Tifa came closer and sat down on the bed beside her, looking on with interest. Casting her a mischievous grin, Elmyra rummaged through the trinket box and produced an old fashioned brass key to fit the lock. With a little umph, she turned the key and the chest unlatched. She reached carefully into the box and produced a bundle, carefully wrapped in parchment.

"Tell me what you and Cloud talked about." She said forwardly, still holding the package in her hands.

"N-nothing…" Tifa tried to brush it off, but Elmyra just gave her a skeptical look. "Well…I…I tried to seduce him."

Elmyra just sighed heavily, wishing the poor child would just give it up. But it seemed it was futile; Tifa just wanted him too badly. But, she wished that she'd just open her eyes to what was staring her in the face. "Sephiroth loves you."

"I know." Tifa bit her lip and looked down at her hands. "I care about him, I really do."

"Then why don't you _let_ him love you? He wants you, I know it."

"I don't know. I guess because I never thought of being with anyone else aside from Cloud."

"Why do you love Cloud? What is it about him that you feel like you're missing out on?" Elmyra wrapped her arm around her like she'd done the previous evening, holding her close and waiting for her to answer.

Tifa contemplated her answer carefully. The truth was, she really wasn't sure. All she new is that when she looked at him, her heart felt like it would explode in her chest. She thought back to when they were children and relayed the story of when he'd followed her and her friends up Mt. Nibel and when she'd fallen, then about the time he'd made his promise at the well before going off to become a hero. It was just as Elmyra had thought; a childhood infatuation and she'd never seized the opportunity to give another man the time of day.

"Tifa, you need to realize…"

"Yes, yes…there's plenty of fish in the sea, I've got it."

Elmyra leaned over and kissed her forehead. "…You you need to realize that you are a beautiful, smart, independent young woman. You don't need a man to take of you; you've got that part down. What you need is a man that can complement you, someone who is willing to be your partner as well as your lover. You don't need a boy like Cloud…you need a man like Sephiroth."

"Why are you pushing that? You don't even like Sephiroth and you're acting like you want me to marry him?"

Elmyra just smirked almost darkly and slid her fingers along the top of the package in her hands.

"What is that?"

With another grin, Elmyra carefully untied the twine binding and unwrapped something beautiful. True, the garment had creases and was slightly yellowed where it had been folded, but it was probably the most beautiful gown that Tifa had ever seen, especially considering that the clothes most people wore today were nothing special at all.

"Elmyra…is that?"

"This is my wedding dress. I was going to give it Aerith…but, I want you to have it." She stood up and held it up to her. "Let's try it on?"

With a shy smile, Tifa obliged her. The dress was fitted and hugged her curves elegantly, and the empire waist offered to showcase her bust. She'd initially feared the bodice to be too small, but it fit perfectly, much to her surprise. It had long, flowing trumpet sleeves, giving it a medieval twist. There was a court length train, not too long and not too short. Tifa looked absolutely stunning sheathed in satin and lace. She never felt so pretty in her life. Her heart kicked up once more as she looked at herself in the mirror. And when Elmyra produced the long veil, Tifa actually felt her lips crack open with a genuine smile.

"Oohh…Tifa…you look like a princess."

Tifa swallowed the joyful tears that were going to escape her eyes and shook her head. "What's this about, Elmyra? Why do you want me to get married?"

"I just want to see you happy and secure. And I love you like you were my daughter, and trust me when I tell you…that I see you wearing this dress again in the near future."

"I highly doubt that." Tifa pulled the veil from her hair and placed it gingerly upon the dressing table.

"Tifa, can I give you some advice?"

Tifa didn't answer; she just raised her eyebrows as she waited for her to continue.

"If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. It's true, I don't like him at all and I'd wish he'd just go back to hell where he came from…But I think he's here for a reason, and I'm pretty sure that reason is you. Trust me, for once? Let him love you and see if nothing happens?"

Tifa was against that idea, thinking that Elmyra had finally lost it. She didn't want to love Sephiroth and she didn't want him to love her back, being friends was all she desired, but the man she did love just continued to spurn her. She thought back to that kiss the other evening and the solemn vow that Sephiroth had made to always be there to protect her and how he'd never leave her. It warmed her soul to imagine it and it caused her face to blush harshly. There certainly were tremors in that kiss and it really had left her craving more, and she wondered if she shouldn't seek out more of his attention. She was afraid she looked cheap, desperate, and sluttish, going between both men like this. She vies away for Cloud, makes out with Sephiroth, tries to seduce Cloud, and now she's thinking about trying to get more out of Sephiroth. It ate away at her angrily when she returned downstairs.


	16. Chapter XVI: An Act of Foolishness

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. This chapter is actually the second half of the last chapter. They orginally one part, but I split them up because together they were just too long. **

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**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XVI: An Act of Foolishness **

Cloud was busy reheating his forgotten oatmeal and regarded Tifa with lopsided smile when he found her in the living room. He didn't want to make her think that he thought any less of her, so he sat down beside her on the couch with his bowl in hand.

"You want some?" He offered amiably.

"No, I'm not hungry." She said softly.

"Alright you two, I'm going out to do some shopping while the rain has stopped." Elmyra announced as she grabbed her coat, "Behave while I'm gone, and don't make a mess." She eyeballed Cloud as she said that and closed the door, locking it behind her.

"I didn't even notice it had stopped raining." Cloud observed.

"Me neither, it's still dark though. Maybe it'll rain again." Tifa released another heavy sigh and slouched back in her seat. Elmyra did this on purpose, leaving them alone together.

There was a brief period of silence before Cloud spoke up. "Alright, Tifa…I don't know if you see it…but I'm thinking we're going to need animal control…"

"Why?"

"Because, there is a gigantic elephant standing right there, in _that_ corner."

Tifa turned an awkward gaze to the vacant corner where Cloud had seen this mysterious beast and wondered what in the world he was…_oh_…there was an _elephant_ in the room.

"Cloud…I…"

"Tifa, listen, I know how you feel about me and I really care about you, but only as a friend." He placed his bowl on the tea table and turned to face her a little better.

"I know you don't, but I was hoping that maybe you might just want to…"

"Sleep with you?" He finished. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't. But I won't because I don't want to disrespect you. Like I said, you're my best friend Tifa, the greatest friend anyone could have. And I don't want to ruin that between us; I don't want to be that guy that goes in a thinks that just because you like me that I can just take what isn't mine."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," He tried to put it delicately, "I mean your…virginity, Tifa." Cloud bit his lip when he thought about it. "I don't want to do that to you."

"Wait…you won't sleep with me because you don't want me to waste my virginity on you?"

"Yeah, I want you to give it up to man that loves you more than I can. I mean, if all you want is a sex-buddy then I'd happily fuck your brains out…But that's not what you want and it's not what you need. I know you, Tifa…and I know you want your first time to be special."

Tifa stared at him with wide eyes. She felt so touched by that; she was so happy to know that her best friend – though uninterested in romance – was so protective of her virtue. At that moment, she wanted to laugh and she wanted to cry. If only he knew…

"Cloud," Tifa managed a smile, ready to tell him that he didn't know her as well as he'd thought, "I'm not a virgin."

"What?" This was news to Cloud. He'd been under the impression that she'd waited for him all these years. Of course that was an outright stupid and smug notion; she was a beautiful, sexy, 23-year-old with nothing to tie her down and he was really only in her life intermittently, so how did he know that she hadn't been having sex? How did he know that she hadn't already been with Sephiroth? "So…you're not?"

Tifa shook her head. "I haven't been since I was sixteen." She dropped her head in shame, ready to answer his next question.

"Who?"

"I…I don't know…I only knew that he gave me a huge wad of cash."

Cloud's eyes grew wide with trepidation. "What the hell…Are you telling me that you…"

"For two years." She kept notice of the shock on his face. "It ended when Barret found me."

"Did he –"

"No! Barret doesn't know about it. He found me being harassed by one of my…_customers_…and he ran him off and took me back his hide out. I didn't tell him about my work at all."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was ashamed of myself. I was afraid of what you might think of me." She tore her gaze away. "I understand if you think I'm disgusting now."

"Tifa," Cloud was astounded, "I would never, ever think that of you! But," He pushed back his wet hair and exhaled heavily through his mouth, "I am really upset that you didn't tell me before. How could you keep something like that from me?"

"I was just so embarrassed. I didn't want you think I was filthy piece of trash."

"I can't believe that you'd think that." He reached over and lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "You must not love me as much as you say you do. If you did you wouldn't have kept this kind of a secret from me. I don't think you're disgusting, or trash, but now I'm wondering if there's anything else you want to tell me. All this time I thought I knew you, but I don't really know you at all, do I?"

So she finally did it. She was able to tell Cloud the secret that had been eating her from the inside out, and she'd upset him in the process.

"It really does hurt that you didn't trust me with this. How can you love me if you don't trust me? Does Sephiroth know?"

"Yes. I told him when he woke up."

"You told the man who killed your father, but you didn't tell your best friend." Cloud faced forward again and picked up his bowl, finishing it off.

The silence was deafening. Tifa continued to stare at him with trepidation, trying to decode his expression. He looked so angry, but at the same time, so sad. She wanted to touch him, but as her arm twitched, she decided against it. She didn't want to anger him any more. Cloud was so confused. Fury boiled his blood, making him feel feverish. But he trembled visibly, as though he were freezing. He tried to keep calm, but the anger was just too strong. At length, he got up and went to put his bowl away in the kitchen. Tifa felt his sudden rage seem to heighten.

Cloud stood against the sink and had the sudden sensation that he would be sick. Though his hair was still damp, he turned on the faucet and splashed his face with the cool water. He couldn't explain why he was so angry, but he couldn't shake it. He was just so enraged that Tifa had kept a secret like this. He was afraid of feeling this way; though Cloud wasn't known to have a temper, but he thought that if he didn't leave the room when he did that he was going to strike her. But as he thought about it, he could understand where she was coming from; he'd probably feel the same way if it were him. Of course she would be hesitant to share it, but what probably upset him the most was the fact that she had told Sephiroth within only a few minutes of getting to know the man, and neglected to tell Cloud, who she'd known since childhood. But then, perhaps it wasn't that strange. He figured she didn't want him to know because his opinion of her mattered more than Sephiroth's did. She didn't care if Sephiroth thought ill of her, but she did care if Cloud did. It seemed reasonable to him and it served to cool his irritation.

A part of him wanted to go back out there and apologize, while another part of him wanted to stay angry, but then still another wanted to go in there and give her what she wanted. They were alone in the house, knowing Elmyra, she would be home rather late. So they had the place to themselves for the majority of the day.

Returning to the living room, he stood behind the sofa, watching Tifa as she sat there. His breath quickened and he felt the urge to drag her over the back of the seat and up the stairs to the bedroom. But he didn't; he didn't want her to get the wrong idea. He didn't want a romantic relationship with her, but he did want to take her up on the offer of sex. It had been a while since he'd been with someone, and he was sure that part of his problems with being so reclusive lately was that he needed release. The last person he'd been with sexually was Aerith. And they'd only been together once. In the end, she'd told him that she loved Zack and couldn't shake it from her heart, that she cared about Cloud, but she didn't love him quite the same way. From this experience, he understood how Tifa was feeling, that much was sure, that was why he didn't want to do anything to hurt her.

But at the same time…he wanted her on a physical level, to help release the stress that had been building up inside of him.

He continued on to the sofa and sat down. He reclined back into the seat, getting comfortable. Looking at Tifa, he'd halfway expected her to be crying, but she wasn't. She was looking to the fireplace, not bothering to acknowledge him.

"I'm sorry, Tifa."

Tifa's eyes slowly shifted toward him and she turned in the seat to face him. Cloud scooted closer to her and put his hand on hers.

"I really am sorry. I'm…I'm not angry with you, just to let you know. And I don't think badly of you for anything. You are my best friend. Don't you dare think otherwise." He finally put his arms around her and pulled her against him, holding her tightly.

Elmyra returned home a couple of hours later. Cloud was going to return to Edge, but she convinced him to stay overnight and let Tifa go home with him the next day. She had originally intended to stay for two days and three nights, but she felt like it would be better to go home sooner. Cloud agreed without much conflict, having wanted to stay longer anyway.

That night, when they retired to bed, Cloud took to the couch. The fireplace was still lit and he stared into the flames. It wasn't that he had trouble sleeping, but he didn't want to sleep. He couldn't shake the sensation rolling around in his gut. After the initial shock subsided, he decided that he was actually very flattered that Tifa had shown him her body and offered herself to him. At this point he was little irked that he didn't take her up on the offer. Sitting up, he tossed the throw blanket off of him and walked up the stairs.

Once he'd made it to Tifa's bedroom, he paused at the door before slowly turning the knob. Easing the door open, he slowly made his entry, afraid that the sound of the squeaky hinges and the creaky floorboards would wake her. He found her sleeping in the white wicker bed, the moonlight showering in through the window, bathing her in a silvery glow. He approached her, hoping that she wouldn't wake and be startled by him. But as he stood there watching her, he slowly removed his clothes before pulling back the sheets and crawling into the bed beside her. It was a rash move, but he couldn't swallow the tension that squeezed him from inside. He carefully rolled her onto her back and her head lolled to the side. She was sound asleep. Watching her, he waited to see if she would wake up. He pushed her hair back out of her face and looked her up and down. She was beautiful, she had a heavenly body, and she was his friend. If they just wanted to have sex, what harm was there in it?

Also, another quandary entered his mind. He once had a harsh crush on her when they were kids; he'd even wanted to join Soldier with the intent of becoming strong enough to protect her and to impress her. His devotion continued into their teens and on into adulthood, until he met Aerith. So, if he had romantic feelings once, can he rekindle those feelings?

Slowly, carefully, he kissed her.

He hoped that first kiss would light up the fire that he once had for her and he could grant her wish and return her love. But that's not what happened. As his lips parted from hers, he felt nothing. There were no butterflies in his stomach and no thundering in his chest. There was only the swelling of his cock.

Cloud's breath beating on her face caused Tifa to wake. She'd murmured softly, before her eyes opened. She gazed up at him through her blurry, sleepy eyes, not sure if she was really seeing him.

"Cloud? What are you – " She was silenced by his fingers on her lips. Slowly, he eased up and over her.

"Let's just do it." He whispered with a husky breath as he took her lips in another kiss.

Tifa was sure she was dreaming, but his touch on her fiery skin was too real to ignore. His breath tasted so sweet and the heat from his body was so intense, it forced her senses to awaken all the more. She tried to keep a clear head, constantly reminding herself that this was nothing more than a casual encounter, there was nothing to be gained from this and nothing to really be given. She knew this was not to be held onto, that he would want to forget it by the next morning, but for now she enjoyed all she could from it…

When she'd woke up the following morning, she'd found that she was alone. She'd initially thought she really had been dreaming, but the fact that she was naked and a peculiar stain tainted the once pristine bed sheets confirmed that what she'd experienced was real. As she sat there in bed, she was left feeling a sense of guilt welling within her. It made her heart sink and her stomach churn. It wasn't that Cloud was a bad bed partner, nor was it that she was sad that this was merely a one night stand, she felt guilty because she knew the effect this would have on Sephiroth if he ever found out. She knew that he loved her and if he knew that she'd had sex with Cloud when she was supposed to be doing some soul searching, he'd be devastated. Also, she felt unfulfilled. She'd hoped that if she'd just sleep with Cloud that some of her pain would be eased. But it only made it worse.

When she went downstairs, she found Cloud sitting quietly. The fireplace was unlit, making the room appear cold and lifeless. Upon her landing, Cloud looked up at her and his mouth turned up in a slight grin.

"How do you feel this morning?" He looked like he'd had a goodnight's rest, though he'd barely slept at all.

"I'm alright." Tifa replied quietly, approaching him and taking a seat beside him.

"Just alright? I'd have thought you'd be feeling better than that."

"And you?"

"I feel like I can take on the world." Cloud's eyes were brighter than usual and Tifa wondered what he was up to.

"I didn't mean to force you into anything." She apologized.

"You didn't force me to do anything. I wanted it too." He touched her shoulder. "I was hoping that maybe my feelings would change after this though. But they didn't, I still want Aerith."

Tifa exhaled the breath she'd been holding. Of course. "I feel so inadequate compared to her."

"Why?"

"I just can't figure out what she had that I don't."

"There's no comparison between the two of you, Tifa. You are both completely different women, you had nothing in common other than what we faced together. I know it sounds bad, but…there's just nothing that either of you really had in common, when I looked at you, all I saw were differences. You know, she came to me with the same issue?"

"She did?"

"Yeah. It was when I thought she and I were really getting somewhere in our relationship. She came to me and said that she felt threatened by you; that she felt like you had the upper hand because you were my friend, because you knew how to fight, because you appeared so strong. She was jealous of you even though she knew she already had my heart. At the same time, she was comparing me to someone else, she never said it out loud, but I knew from the way she behaved. It was only later that I discovered that it was Zack she'd been trying to find in me. Maybe that's why I never felt like she loved me as much as I loved her." That was probably the most that Cloud had ever said at once.

Tifa closed her eyes and replied, "I never knew. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one that feels this way. And I think last night was a very bad idea. I think maybe we should just be friends."

Cloud was perplexed. "What? Where did that come from?"

"I don't know, I just don't think it could ever work out between us because of her. I only felt that way just now."

"So you think I opened your eyes last night? Was I really that bad?"

"It's not about that. I just don't feel like I was hoping to."

"You feel guilty and wasted, don't you?"

"Yeah…oddly enough."

"I told you so. You craved me for so long and put me up on a pedestal, and when you finally got me it just wasn't worth it. Is that what it feels like?"

"Ugh…You make me sound so fickle." She shook his arm off of her.

"Aren't you? It's true, though, I'm not worth it. I'm not worth crying over; I don't think Aerith really even think I was worth it either."

"Now you're just putting yourself down."

"Hey, Tifa…how much did you charge for your…services?" Cloud wasn't sure if he should bring it up, as the subject was so sore, but he wanted to know.

"Six gil."

"Just six?"

"I was worried that nobody would want to pay more than that."

"Well, what I got last night was worth way more than a measly six gil."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Tifa giggled bashfully.

"Yeah, it was _supposed_ to be. But it sounded pretty bad didn't it?" Cloud poked her in the arm.

"Yes it did…but you know, it was probably one of the best you've ever given me."

"I'm sorry I'm such a bad friend."

"Don't be, if you were any different, I wouldn't love you like I do. Promise me that you won't change no matter what?"

"Only if you promise me something. Promise you won't wait around for me, that you'll go on to find someone you love more than me." As Cloud spoke, Tifa had averted her eyes, lowering her head.

Cloud was expecting her to finally start crying, but he was surprised when she lifted her eyes to him with a smile on her face. "I promise."

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**This chapter took a lot out of me. I suppose because I didn't really like it that much. But every time I tried to change it, it kept ending up the same...That makes no sense! XD **

**I wanted this to be a full on lemon, but considering my last lemon was deleted from the site, I decided not to take the chance. DX**


	17. Chapter XVII: How It Began

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

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**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XVII: How It Began, How It Turned Out**

Denzel and Marlene were up at the very crack of dawn, ready to embark on an adventure to find Sephiroth's mother. Denzel had promised to help him find her when the rain stopped and now that the storm as finally ended, he was more than excited to get started.

But as the children ran down stairs, they were met with an empty kitchen. There was no lingering smell of breakfast to suggest that Sephiroth was awake or if Cloud had come home. Looking at each other, they both bounded back up the steps to the living room, it was dark and there was no sign of him. So there were only two other places he could be, his bedroom or the bathroom. So first they ran to the bathroom, and finding it empty, ran to his bedroom.

"Shh," Denzel whispered with a finger to his mouth before easing the door open.

The pair of them crept inside and tiptoed up to the bed where Sephiroth still lie sleeping. He was snoring ever so softly, and they were sure that he was dead to the world. Denzel was quite disappointed. With a heavy sigh, he looked over at Marlene and frowned.

"I guess we have to wait until he wakes up."

"Don't worry little ones…I'll be up shortly." Sephiroth murmured, causing both children's hair to stand on end.

Turning back around slowly, Denzel faced Sephiroth who stared back at him. "We thought you were still asleep."

"I've lost nearly all my power, boy," He yawned, "But I still have my military training," He leaned upward. "And we were trained to sleep with one eye open."

"For real?" Marlene squeaked.

"For real." Sephiroth chuckled.

"Come on, Sephiroth, we're gonna go find your mom today!" Denzel urged.

"Alright, go on, I'll be down in a moment."

Sephiroth smiled as the children shuffled from the room. He quickly got up and dressed, meeting the children in the bar.

"So how do we start?" Marlene asked as she skipped up to the door.

"Well, assuming she's still alive, we should probably try looking up her name." Sephiroth said.

"What's her name?"

Sephiroth paused. "I don't know."

Marlene's face fell. "Then what?"

"Maybe we can ask Mr. Shinra." Denzel suggested, scratching the back of his head.

"Shinra? He's alive?" Sephiroth hadn't expected that.

"Yeah, but he lives at the Healen lodge…It would be a long walk."

The trio looked around at one another, completely at a loss.

Sephiroth yawned again as he thought about what to do. He wanted to find his birth mother, that much was a given, however he wasn't sure if it was worth looking for her, she was probably either dead or nonexistent. He was _told_ he was born, but that could be just one of the many lies that shrouded his past, perhaps he was created in a lab with no mother at all. But still, the thought of actually finding her made him ecstatic, and success would make his life all the more worth living.

"How far is it?" He finally asked.

"It's between here and Kalm. We can walk but it will take all day long just to get there." Denzel explained with a downtrodden expression.

"We can wait for Cloud to get home and use his motorcycle." Marlene said.

"That will do." Sephiroth felt a sense of relief come over him; partly because he was glad to not have to face Rufus. He hoped that perhaps Cloud knew something, or at least opened up enough to help out.

"Well what do we do now?" Marlene asked, clutching at Sephiroth's arm.

Crouching down to her level, Sephiroth only smiled and said, "We go on like normal, school opens again tomorrow, and I have to open the bar tonight, so in the mean time I really need to prepare and you should enjoy your play time."

Marlene and Denzel both agreed and reluctantly went off to play outside.

Sephiroth continued to smile as they left, but his face fell as soon as they were out of sight. He felt extremely apprehensive, thinking about his mother. Of course there was a chance that no one would help him; their hatred for him more dominant their sympathy. There was a chance that she may be dead or never found at all. How many times had he thought that this morning? These possibilities continued roll over and over in his mind. Hoping to shake the thoughts from his head, he opted to focus on preparing breakfast for the children.

Outside, the children walked down the street, pondering the issue.

"I don't want to give up so easily." Denzel said as he kicked a rock down a sewer drain.

"Me neither, but what are we supposed to do?" Marlene felt defeated already, feeling powerless to help her new friend.

"I know!" Denzel's face lit up, "Let's go ask Johnny!"

The pair took off running toward the outskirts of town where the entrepreneur, Johnny, ran his humble outdoor diner. It was a gamble to find him there, considering the rain, but given that it had stopped, he might be there right now, if only to clean.

It didn't take them long to get there, as it barely sat outside of the city perimeter. Despite this, the children couldn't have been more relieved when they saw the sign reading "Johnny's Heaven". And to their joy, they saw the man himself hard at work, setting out his tables and chairs for business.

"Hey, Johnny!" Denzel waved from across the short plain that lay between them and Johnny looked up, his face brightening when he saw them coming.

"Good morning, kids!" He ran up behind his bar and slapped its surface excitedly. "Come on up, take a seat!"

More than happy to oblige, the kids hurried onto the barstools. They had smiles plastered on their adorable little faces and Johnny couldn't have been happier to see them in such high spirits. He didn't even need to ask what they wanted; when they visited his café, they always ordered the same thing.

"What are you two up to today?" Johnny asked as he started preparing their drinks.

"We were actually hoping you'd be able to help us find someone." Marlene said as she watched him mixing their favorite milkshakes.

"Oh yeah? Who is it?"

"Well, we really don't know. I mean, we don't know her name or what she looks like." Denzel hid his face in his arm, a little embarrassed about this problem.

"Then how do you expect to find her?" Johnny applied the huge swirls of whipped cream to the milkshakes, topping them off with cherries.

Denzel was presented with a large chocolate shake and Marlene with a strawberry shake. Without ceremony, the children practically dove into them.

"Well, she's our friend's mom, he's never met her and he wants to find her."

"Okay, well who's your friend?"

"His name is Sephiroth."

Johnny froze. That name was one he could have gone the rest of his life never hearing again. At that moment, a surge of anger blazed through him. He never wanted to think of it again, but he was suddenly assaulted with the image of his home burned to ashes. He grew up in Nibelheim, and was one of the very few that managed to escape. He'd seen what Cloud and Tifa had seen that fateful day and was as haunted by it as they were.

"S-sephiroth?" He wanted to have the children leave for this, but he kept his cool; it wasn't their fault.

"Yeah, do you know him?"

"I…know _of_ him. S-sorry kids, I can't help you. I don't know anything about his mother."

The children looked at each other and were disheartened to find that Johnny's attitude just did a complete 180. He didn't seem to care at all to lend any assistance, as this subject was very touchy for him for some reason. Apparently he knew more about Sephiroth than he wished to and was reluctant to talk about it.

"So, Denzel, tell me how _your _mom is doing." Johnny was apt to change the subject.

"She's ok. She's in Kalm right now visiting her friend." Denzel felt a little strange whenever Johnny asked about Tifa; it almost felt like he was trying to come between Tifa and Cloud.

"Oh yeah? When is she coming home?"

"Tonight."

Marlene sipped her shake quietly, listening. She could feel Denzel's distress when Johnny asked about Tifa, though she didn't understand why he disliked it so much.

"Oh, so if you don't mind, ask her to come visit me for a change, I'll cook her up a good meal." There was a twinkle in Johnny's eye that Denzel didn't quite like.

"Okay, I will."

Denzel knew that Johnny fancied Tifa but he didn't want him to. He liked Johnny, but he would not allow him to get close to Tifa; she belonged to Cloud. It was the same as he felt about Sephiroth, who also loved her.

Back at the bar, Sephiroth had completed preparing a breakfast of biscuits and gravy with sausage patties. He poked his head outside to call in the children, but they weren't there. Retreating inside, he paused, wondering if he should wait for them to come inside. But as a nervous gurgle took his stomach he quickly covered the food and dashed back out to find the children.

It wasn't what he'd expected; as he'd planned to set off that day to find his mother, but instead was on the hunt for his children. He mentally slapped himself. Tifa's children, not his children.

Panic gnawed at his gut, but he did his best to keep calm; they couldn't have gotten far. So he kept a look out for the kids as he scanned up and down the main street. He stopped a few pedestrians on the street, asking if they'd seen the children. No one was up for helping him find the kids; it was the least of their troubles.

So Sephiroth took it upon himself to search every inch of the area he could. Almost everyone who passed him looked on with worry, wondering why this man was starting to freak out as he entered every single shop and restaurant, scrutinizing every crevice. As he'd nearly completed scouring the surrounding area, and having still found nothing, the panic finally manifested as a whole.

He collapsed on a door stoup, tumbling over in his head thoughts about where they'd gone or where they might go. The fear strangled him as he thought about what kind of awful monster might have snatched them and what he'd have to tell Tifa if he'd not found them by the time she'd made it home.

As he was about to get up and start again, a woman stepped out of the door behind him. She paused, looking surprised at the man before her. He looked familiar somehow, though she dared not think about who he looked like.

"Umm…Sir? I'm sorry, but I'd prefer it if you moved away from my house." Her voice was squeaky and Sephiroth looked up to find her looking a little scared of him.

"My apologies." He stood up and was about to head off again until he thought of asking her. "Ma'am, I was wondering if you'd seen a couple of kids around this morning?"

"Kids?"

"A little boy and girl. The boy is older and has tousled brown hair and he was wearing a blue t-shirt, and jOthe girl has dark hair bound up with a pink ribbon, wearing a pink dress."

The woman thought for a moment and her eyes brightened, "Oh, they must be Tifa's children!"

"Yes, Denzel and Marlene." Sephiroth was relieved to find someone who knew them.

"I did see them earlier; they ran by like they were trying to get somewhere quick." She tapped her chin as she considered their destination. "Not much is out that way, but I know they're friends with Johnny who has a diner just outside of town." She pointed down the eastward path. "You should try there."

"Thank you so much for your help!" He flashed a handsome smile as he rushed off to find the children.

The woman remained dumbfounded on the steps. "He really did look like…No, it couldn't have been him; he was too kind. Besides, Sephiroth is dead." She continued about her business.

Sephiroth ran nonstop until he made it to the edge of town where he indeed found the little diner sitting apart from the rest of the buildings. It was a strange place to put a café, but it was easy enough to find and access. And sure enough, he saw two familiar children with their backs to him, ruining their appetites on sweets. By the time he'd found them, Marlene and Denzel had already finished off their milkshakes and moved on to a sundae and a banana split.

Johnny was also indulging an ice cream treat when he happened to look up and see none other than Sephiroth stalking toward them with an angry face. It sparked the horror from that day many years prior and he dropped his spoon as he backed away. The metallic "ping" of the spoon hitting the floor alerted the children to Johnny's anguish and they felt a dark haze seeming to drift over them. It was the same sort of feeling they got when Tifa was mad at them. Their hair stood on end and they could feel a pair of deadly eyes burning into their backs.

"Children." The low, growl of Sephiroth's voice only served to tense up their little muscles and they were as a pair of cats who'd been cornered by a dog. "What, pray tell, do you think you're doing?"

They knew he was mad; he gave off that aura that told them not to try weaseling their way out of anything, for he would not allow it; nor should they run, for he will catch them and the punishment will be most severe. But what did they do that upset him so much?

So Denzel, being the eldest of the pair, bravely turned to him and replied, "We're eating ice cream." He hadn't meant to sound like a smart-aleck, but it came off that way anyway.

Sephiroth's eyes flamed with rage and without so much as a word or even a look at the petrified Johnny; he scooped up the children and hauled them back to Seventh Heaven.

It wasn't until Sephiroth had slammed the kids down onto the barstools did he speak. He stormed around the opposite side of the bar, hands crashing down onto the surface, sounding like thunder to the children's ears.

"What did you think you were doing?" Sephiroth kept his voice low, trying not to let his anger get the better of him.

"We were just eating ice cream with Johnny." Denzel said, as if it were nothing – which to him it wasn't.

"You were supposed to go play outside," Sephiroth growled, "Meaning you stay just out there, where I can keep an eye on you!"

"We were hoping that Johnny might know about your mom." Marlene quietly argued.

"Be that as it may, but if you were going to go off like that you should have told me first." Sephiroth looked at the children's faces, both concerned for him but at the same time appearing quite clueless. His own eyes were wide, as if he couldn't believe they didn't get why he was so upset. "How was I supposed to know where you went? Do you run off like this when Tifa and Cloud are here?"

Denzel and Marlene looked at each other and then back at Sephiroth. They shook their heads negatively.

"No." Sephiroth dropped his head for a brief second before looking back up. "I don't get it…why then did you think it was alright to do it to me? Hmm?"

"We didn't think – "

"No you didn't. When I finished cooking breakfast, I went outside to call you in, but you weren't there. Do you have any idea what went through my mind then? I was genuinely scared. And I don't just get scared." He hunched over, resting his elbows on the counter, trying to get down to their level. "I was worried about what might have happened to you. If someone had kidnapped you, if you were in any danger at all. Imagine if your mother came home and you were gone? She'd be sad, wouldn't she?"

The children nodded.

"Don't do that again. I don't mind if you want to eat all the ice cream that your friend has, but you need to let an adult know before you go running off like that." Sephiroth felt his throat constrict as he spoke, feeling angry about the kids wandering off, relieved at having found them, and sad that he'd had to reprimand them for it.

"We won't do it again, I promise." Denzel said, his voice holding a very secure level of maturity.

Marlene however only nodded, resting her forehead on her folded arms, thereby hiding her face.

"Marlene, I'm sorry I yelled…" Sephiroth placed a paternal hand on her head and smoothed her hair. She only shook her head again.

"My tummy hurts." She whimpered.

"Well it was probably from that ice cream." He retrieved their cold breakfast from the refrigerator and began to warm it back up. "Eat some real food and you'll feel better."

When the children finished their very late breakfast – which by this time was actually their lunch – they opted to go up to their bedroom to play, leaving Sephiroth alone with his thoughts.

So much for searching for his mother. He should have known that it would flop. There was a very high doubt in his mind that they'd get anywhere with it anyway. After all, he knew nothing about the woman, not even her name. Sephiroth was content to wait until Cloud made it home and would surely ask his assistance, though also doubted that he'd help at all.

Having a seat at the bar, Sephiroth grabbed a pen from beside the cash register and started doodling idly on a sheet of scrap paper. What began as scribble lines soon began to take shape. He'd never prided himself on being any sort of artist, but the image was undeniable. It was a picture of Sephiroth as he was at about Denzel's age, holding hands with a faceless woman. It was something he'd fought to suppress since he was younger than Marlene, the horrible feeling of abandonment, the pain of seeing other children with their mothers, and having to go through life all alone and unwanted. As a boy he'd been nothing but a lab rat, and as a man he'd been nothing but a killer. Now he wanted something else. He wanted to take back that stolen childhood and bask in the joy of being with his long lost mother, whose love he'd been denied since infancy.

It might seem strange to see a grown man in this thirties longing for the woman who'd given birth to him. But when that man had lived his entire life never knowing what it was like to have a mother at all, in his heart, he really was nothing more than a child.

Sephiroth felt tears escape his eyes and was quick to wipe them way. A part of him wished he could find Hojo - if he was alive - and make him disclose the information he need. He knew that Hojo knew who and where she was, but alas, he might kill him as soon as he saw him, and then he'd be back where he'd started. It was painful to think about, and so he crumpled up the sad drawing and tossed it in the trash bin under the opposite counter.

"Mother…" He whispered softly, "…I will find you…and then we can be a family."

* * *

**Not quite what you were expecting to happen in this chapter? Such is life, you can't always assume everything's gonna go as planned. **


	18. Chapter XVIII: A Lingering Shred

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XVIII: A Lingering Shred**

"Are you sure you don't want to go home in the morning?" Elmyra asked as Cloud packed Tifa's stuff in his motorcycle.

"I really shouldn't be gone much longer." Tifa explained as she zipped up her jacket. She looked over at Cloud who approached them.

"Are you ready?" He asked, his hand rose up to her shoulder, lingering for only a moment before drifting down her arm and fell back down to his side.

Tifa looked up at his face, taking in the blue glow of his eyes. She wanted to lean in and kiss him, but she kept perfectly still, at length, turning back to Elmyra.

"Be careful, you two." Elmyra urged with a maternal caress to Tifa's cheek. She could feel a fresh sort of tension that had gathered between this young man and woman, a new issue that masked the old one. She knew what had happened between them; no one had to tell her. She'd known even before washing the sheets from Tifa's bed, where she'd noticed the odd gray stain that discolored the snowy cotton; before she noticed the blonde hairs that mingled with the black hairs on the pillowcases. The feeling remained as she watched them ride away.

The feeling lingered upon Elmyra's shoulders long after they'd disappeared from view. She wished that Tifa would take her advice and forget her feelings for Cloud, to leave his heart to a ghost and give her own to a fallen angel who loved her.

Though her jacket was secure around her, Tifa shied away from the icy wind that whipped her body, causing her cheeks and hands to become numb though sore. It was not nearly this cold when they were still, actually the sun was quite warm, but the breeze became like a thousand blades scraping at her skin as soon as they began to speed toward Edge. Seeking warmth, her hands found their way into his shirt.

Cloud was well aware of her arms around him, her hands were searing hot on his icy skin. He did not move to shove them away; he too had grown cold, and her hands only served to provide warmth. Her body against his back was like a furnace and he leaned back into her seeking more. Both of them worried what would come should they give in to the cold, worried that they might become victims of lust as they were the previous night. Another carnal encounter would not be unwelcome to either of them; however they were pleased to leave it behind them. But the ride would be over within a few minutes and their primal need to seek heat would be void.

But still the thought remained.

As they sped across the dusty, grey terrain, Cloud tried to think of other things. He imagined what they'd eat for dinner, the smiles on the children's faces as they arrived home, what other deliveries were waiting on him…But no matter how much he tried, he could not shake the thought of Tifa's legs straddling him from behind.

It was strange for a man his age to be celibate; but it was not his fault. He'd had little time in the past couple of years to even think about sex, let alone engage in it. Of course there was his one time with Aerith, but as said, it was only once. But aside from that, grieving for his lost love, running his own business, becoming terminally ill, and having saved the world twice, left him with no room for it.

In Cloud's mind, it seemed strange that he suddenly wanted Tifa, but truth be told, it wasn't sudden at all. He'd wanted her for as long as he could remember, and having finally accepted it from her only awakened that long buried desire. Now that he'd had her, she would be difficult to ignore. The thought suddenly crossed his mind about whether or not to oblige her, to give her his love – or at least a show of it – so that he may receive more from her. But his stomach twisted; wasn't that the same as using her? Wasn't it the same as forcing her back into being a whore? Instead of paying her with money, he paid her with false romance?

He hissed under his breath and fought it back. He couldn't do that to his friend. This is one reason why he didn't want to do it in the first place, he was afraid he wouldn't be satisfied with one night with her. And he wasn't. He wanted to stop and pull over behind a dune and take her on the ground.

But he didn't.

They continued onward to Seventh Heaven.

Denzel and Marlene had spent the rest of the day in doors after Sephiroth's panic earlier that day. They kept to their room even when customers started filing into the bar.

"Do you think we should go down and help?" Marlene asked quietly.

Denzel sat on his bed facing the door. With a heavy sight he replied, "Maybe we should, but…I don't wanna get in his way, you know?"

"I don't think we will, especially you, Denzel…He likes you." She pointed out.

"He likes you too, Marlene." Denzel corrected her.

Marlene got quiet for a moment. "Do you like Sephiroth? You asked me before, but you never said what you thought."

"I like him alright."

"So what do you think if he wants to marry Tifa?"

"The same as I do about Johnny liking her…I wish he'd back off."

"Sephiroth said they were just friends."

"Yeah, but I think he's lying." Denzel lay back and looked up at the ceiling. "I really wish grown-ups wouldn't be like that. They get mad at us for lying and then they turn around and do it."

"It'll be ok." Marlene tried to reassure him, but Denzel just shook his head. At that moment, Marlene wished she could see what was going on inside her brother's mind. He was very enigmatic when he was upset about something, much like Cloud in that way; it was strange to think how alike they were, especially because they weren't related at all.

As they sat quietly, the peculiar sound of a motorcycle erupted from outside. Though the windows were closed, they could still hear it plain as day. With a sudden burst of excitement, Denzel leapt from the bed and rushed down the stairs, through the crowded bar and out the garage door, just in time to see Cloud's motorcycle roll in. He was excited to see Cloud dismount and was even happier when he saw Tifa with him.

"Cloud! Tifa!" He ran up to them, tossing his arms open and was taken into a hug by Cloud.

Cloud didn't say anything; he just embraced the boy tighter than ever, as if he hadn't seen him in ages. Tifa was more than eager to get her own welcome and Denzel turned to her next. This was a wonderful feeling. This was something that Denzel had wanted, to spend a moment, even if it was the briefest moment in the world, just hugging his mother and father.

"I missed you so much, Dad…Mom." It wasn't often that Denzel actually referred to them as 'mom and dad', but when he did it warmed Cloud and Tifa both to the core.

"We missed you too." Cloud parted with him just to stand, but he kept a firm hold on Denzel's hand as the three of them went inside.

Marlene had followed Denzel downstairs, but stopped when she saw Sephiroth busy trying to keep customers happy, so being the little angel she was, offered to help. Sephiroth was cautious of letting a young child work in a bar, not to mention being too proud to admit defeat, but he pushed his manliness aside and admitted to needing assistance.

With a breathy giggle, Marlene pushed her stool up and started taking drink orders at the bar. She was friendly and attentive and Sephiroth furrowed his brow at her.

"What an unusual child…" He muttered as he weaved in and out of the customers.

Many of the usual patrons that frequented the bar were boisterous and rowdy in their demand for Tifa's service. Sephiroth had to apologize so many times for Tifa's absence that he had started to become annoyed. But as soon as Marlene started helping, they quieted down and were content.

As soon as Sephiroth thought he had tamed the beasts, they started cheering and crying out cat-calls and the ruckus once more ensued. Wondering what had stirred them up now; he looked up in the direction of their attention and saw none other than Tifa entering from the garage. It was a shock to see her home as she wasn't due back until the following day, but at any rate, he was glad to see her. Sephiroth was even happier to see that smile that lit up her lovely face.

"Tifa!" Marlene ran up to her slamming in her hip with such force, she almost bore her to the floor.

"Oh, baby girl…you're strong!" Tifa giggled as Marlene released her.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Tifa laughed as Marlene hurried back to her customers.

Tifa was surprised to see how much she'd been missed; apparently she wasn't as unappreciated as she'd thought. However she'd hoped that Sephiroth would be able to manage so she could take a shower before having to do anything else. But the demand of her patrons called her forth to duty.

"I'm glad you're home, Tifa." Sephiroth said as he approached her.

"I'm sure you are…you look like you can use a hand." She took off her jacket and hung it on the hook beside the door.

"It's not that." He reached out for her hand and held it tenderly. "I just missed you."

"I get the kids, but you? Sephiroth, I was only gone a day."

"I know…but I really did miss you." This caused Tifa's cheeks to blush bright pink and her eyes softened, drifting down to their clasped hands. She instantly thought back to her conversation with Elmyra and felt her heart thump hard in her chest.

"I…missed you too, Sephiroth." She looked back up to his face and smiled.

The shouts from the customers forced them to leave their conversation thus as they proceeded to dive into the chaos and make the drunkards happy.

Cloud and Denzel remained just behind Tifa until she'd hopped to work. Cloud lead Denzel upstairs to the house where he'd be planning out his next route.

"So you're going back out again?" Denzel was more than disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Denzel. But I have to work." Cloud felt guilty for upsetting him, but he had to leave the house as soon as possible. Not because he necessarily had to get deliveries made, but because he needed to avoid Tifa, lest he fall into bed with her for a second time. "Hey, do you want to help me map my route?"

The boy's face lit up, "Yeah!"

Downstairs, Sephiroth, Tifa, and Marlene were keeping busy. They hadn't expected it to be so crowded, but given that no one had been able to visit Tifa's bar for almost three days, it wasn't too much of a surprise. But of course it didn't last long; as if on cue, the customers began to file out in an almost rhythmic order and they were all eventually gone before 9:30.

Tifa had long since sent Marlene up to bed, leaving her and Sephiroth to clean up together. Despite Tifa's exuberant welcome home by her customers and the smile that had brightened her face, she had fallen silent and her smile faded away to nothing. Sephiroth could sense once again the dark raincloud that hovered over her. The shadow of doubt and sorrow that he'd hoped would've been chased away. He watched her as she busied herself carrying away glasses from the tables. She appeared to be withdrawn into her thoughts.

"So how was your visit with Elmyra?" He asked brightly, hoping to bring out her light again.

"It was good." She replied solemnly.

"Tifa. What have I told you?" He slapped his washcloth down on the table and crossed his arms as he stared at her with her back to him. He wished that she'd give up trying to hide her feelings; lying wasn't helping, not to mention he knew every time when she lied.

Tifa just pulled out a chair and sat down. She was still facing away from him, not wanting to look him in the eye. She felt so guilty about what had happened and she braced herself for whatever he might say or do. She feared that he'd become angry, perhaps violent when she confessed. She wasn't exactly sure why, but she thought the worst.

She didn't want to drag it out or dodge the issue, so she just said it. "I had sex with Cloud."

Tifa dropped her head, her eyes closed and she waited. She couldn't even hear his footsteps as he approached, but she could feel his presence immediately behind her. She flinched when his hands gently lit on either side of her head.

This is it…this where he crushes my skull…

She felt his pull her head back only slightly and his breath disturbed her hair with ghostly tenderness as he kissed the top of her head. His hands caressed a trail down her hair and too her shoulders where they rested. He placed his cheek where he'd kissed her and remained thus for only a moment.

"I'm happy for you, Tifa." He'd hoped that she'd get what she wanted; his only regret was that it wasn't he who gave it to her.

Tifa was shocked. She'd not expected this at all from him, "You're not angry?"

"Why should I be? You finally got what you wanted. All I desire is your happiness, Tifa. It's why I'm here for you."

"Sephiroth…" Her fingers light skimmed along his hand before he stepped away from her to continue cleaning. She finally turned and looked at his face. There was no anger or jealousy there, his eyes seemed only a little dim, disappointment perhaps was what she saw. But his features were serene; he did not dwell on it, and even smile graced his lips, he was genuinely happy for her. But…he shouldn't be. "No. I didn't get what I wanted."

Sephiroth paused and looked back up to her confused.

"I only said we had sex." She shook her head. "But he does not love me…He still loves her more…"

"Why was he even there, if I may?"

"He was passing Kalm on his way home, but he was caught in the storm and so he stopped at Elmyra's to wait for it to pass. He didn't even know I was there. That's why I'm home early; I figured I'd ride home with him today instead of trying to hitch a ride with a stranger tomorrow."

"That's wise." Sephiroth approached her again. His hands once again found her shoulders and he gave her a squeeze. "So he had you…but still doesn't want you?"

"No."

"I don't understand why he doesn't love you. How can he not?"

"Why do you say that?" Tifa looked away from him.

"Because you're so…" He wanted to say beautiful, but that was such a shallow word…no matter whether he meant it as a physical compliment or not, "…you're everything a man could possibly want. You're loyal, obedient, a caring mother and would be a caring wife if given the chance, you can cook, clean, you've got boundless patience…you're forgiving and kind…I can go on and on. Tifa…" His left hand reached up to cup her cheek.

A silvery tear streaked down her cheek.

Wiping it away with the pad of his thumb, Sephiroth turned her face back up to his with his other hand. Their eyes met and they gazed at one other for the longest time, losing themselves each other's eyes. Sephiroth felt his mouth go dry and he wanted to kiss her, but he didn't want to force her into anything; he didn't want her to think he was just trying to use her.

Tifa wanted to cry. As if she hadn't cried enough. She wanted to slap herself; she'd be so strong up until Sephiroth had moved in with them and with his arrival, she'd lost all grip on her composure. It was like his awakening had opened the floodgates and all her emotions where unleashed. She felt like somehow he was drawing out her dark thoughts, her negativity. Perhaps he was. Perhaps, some of his supernatural power remained, however small a fragment, and it inadvertently was causing her pain to surface. But was it trying to hurt her, or was this unseen force in fact trying to purge the pain from her? It might seem outlandish, but after considering what she'd seen and experienced in her life, nothing was really outlandish anymore. There was something, some sort of alien energy inside of him that remained, she could see it in his eyes right then, but it did not frighten her. Maybe that was really what happening…perhaps it was trying to draw out her angst and her agony, trying to draw it out and make his to bear.

"Tifa…" He repeated her name once more, reminding her of when he'd first woke up. He'd said her name several times, as if trying to start a sentence only to forget what he'd wanted to say.

"Sephiroth…" She whispered his own name back to him, she too, forgetting what she was going to say.

"Tifa, you should go to bed. I'll finish up here."

"No, it's alright. I'll help you." She broke away from him and turned back to the table where she'd left her tray of glasses.

The pair of them continued without saying much else until Tifa suddenly thought about the children. "Did Denzel and Marlene behave for you?"

"Yes, but they gave me a scare this morning. They'd gone out to play, but didn't tell me that they were going to visit a friend. I was so worried about them, I almost had a stroke." He laughed it off, hoping that a smile might take Tifa's lips again, but she just frowned.

"They didn't tell you where they were going?"

"No, but please don't be angry with them; I already talked to them. Besides, they meant no harm. They were trying to help me."

"How?"

"They wanted to ask their friend if he knew anything about my mother."

Tifa paused. She was wondering when this matter would come up. Of course it was only a matter of time, the issue of mothers was something peculiar to Sephiroth as the reason for his madness revolved around it. But he did not seem mad right now; in fact he was fairly sane.

"We were also hoping that you or Cloud might be able to help out."

Tifa finally smiled. "Yeah. I know someone that might be able to give you the answers you need."


	19. Chapter XIX: Answers to the Past

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Alright then, here we are again! By the way, if anyone wants to read the full lemon of Chapter 16, feel free to PM me.**

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**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XIX: Answers to the Past**

"Vincent?" Sephiroth questioned as he sat down for breakfast.

"He's a friend of ours." Tifa yawned as she sat down beside him.

Cloud leaned against the bar and sipped his coffee. He kept his back to them, not wanting to look at either of them. He was still thinking about Tifa, about what he wanted to do to her. But he couldn't as long as Sephiroth was there. He was glad the children were gone to school, and now he wished that Sephiroth would find a reason to leave. He wanted him gone just long enough.

Cloud turned an eye over his shoulder. Of course that wouldn't happen; Tifa and Sephiroth were practically joined at the hip, at least that's how he saw it.

"Cloud?" Tifa's voice made his back tense up and he looked over at her. "Did Vincent finally get a cell phone?"

"Yeah, he did."

"Did you ever get a phone?" She narrowed her eyes at him and took his silence as his answer. "Do you have his number?"

"Yeah…" He sat his empty cup in the sink. "I'll be right back."

Heading up to his room, Cloud retrieved the address book he kept in his desk. He lingered for a moment, wondering if he should even bring it down; a part of him wanted to be cruel and lie about not having it after all, or even just telling Sephiroth to go out find his answers himself. But Tifa was his savior. If it weren't for her, Cloud wouldn't have lifted a finger to help out, even the slightest. But since Tifa was his friend, he felt obligated to assist _her_. Upon returning downstairs, he handed the address book to Tifa.

"Oh, thank you." Tifa flipped it open and sought out Vincent's number. Without another word, Tifa produced her phone from her pocket and dialed the number.

As the phone began to ring, Tifa wondered what she would say. Vincent knew that Sephiroth was there, but she still felt apprehensive about asking him to help him. The phone rang on and she was sure it would go to his voicemail until a deep somber voice muttered over the line.

"_Hello?"_

"Hi Vincent." Tifa tried to sound chipper and light, hoping to better deliver the request that would surely bring bad memories back to him.

"_How are you, Tifa?"_

"I'm alright, I was wondering, do you think you would be able to come to the bar?"

"_Why?"_

"Well, Sephiroth was wondering about…about his mother." She braced herself for the "click" when he hung up. But she was surprised to find that he answered promptly.

"_I will be there shortly."_ Then he hung up.

Tifa eased the phone away from her ear, her face held an expression of shock and confusion. Her eyebrows knitted and she pressed her lips together in that nervous way she so often did before slowly closing the phone and placing it back in her pocket.

"So is he coming?" Sephiroth asked, his heart in this throat.

"He said he will be here soon." She shrugged.

Cloud raised his eyebrows. "I'm surprised; I assumed he'd avoid it."

"Perhaps he's ready to really talk about it." Tifa smiled at Sephiroth, "Are you excited to learn to the truth?"

Sephiroth dropped his head, looking at her hand resting upon the table. He slid his fingers beneath hers and turned his hand upward to interlace them. "I'm actually afraid." He confessed softly, as if afraid that Cloud would hear.

"It's alright, you won't be disappointed."

"You know about it, don't you?"

"Yes."

"So why don't you just tell me?"

"Because it's not my place. Vincent should be the one." She explained just as quietly.

As Sephiroth met her gaze, he saw a flicker in the brown depths of her eyes. It was the same glimmer of light that had caught his attention, sparking his interest in her. He had not seen it in so long now that he was afraid it had been extinguished forever. But it sparked back to life with this new predicament. Tifa was always the type to lend a helping hand to her friends, and Sephiroth felt so honored that she considered him a friend too.

He wasn't ready to tear his eyes away from hers; wishing he could hold onto that moment and watch that flame of tender unconditional love burn for only a little longer. But at length, Tifa broke eye contact with him and stood to clear the dishes away. He observed her as she rinsed the remains of their meal from the white porcelain. Her posture had straightened, making her appear confident and happy. It was unclear about what really had perked her up this morning, but Sephiroth assumed it had to do with Vincent's visit. He knew she was dying for him to discover the truth of his origins and she was certain that the answers would yield positive results. This relaxed Sephiroth, and he was able to maintain hold of his own anxiety.

Cloud narrowed his eyes at Sephiroth, who continued to stare at Tifa's back. He wasn't sure if he was leering at her, or if he was simply watching her clean up. Either way, he didn't like it at all, but he didn't hold it against him. Retrieving the coffee cup that Tifa just washed, Cloud refilled it and went to the table.

"So, you're about to learn about your past." He said, trying to strike up conversation.

Sephiroth's attention was reluctantly called away from Tifa as he responded to Cloud, "Yes, I do hope that he doesn't tell me something awful."

"Well…I can't safely say that he won't, but…I hope you'll feel better afterward."

Upon hearing this Tifa paused to cast an incredulous look at Cloud. Since when was Cloud so nice to Sephiroth? It wasn't as if he had been particularly cruel to him, but he hadn't been quite so warm either, at least not when she had been around. A smile crept its way onto her lips and she turned back toward the sink. The smile instantly stretched ear to ear and she felt her heart leap pleasantly when Sephiroth said sincerely, "Thank you."

About an hour passed and there was a heavy knock on the door. Tifa was standing closest so she answered. It was too early for customers, so the only other person it could be was Vincent. Though, she already knew who it was, she still opened the door cautiously, lest she be wrong. But she was proven correct as she opened up to reveal her mysterious friend, shrouded in crimson. Only his long pale nose and the scarlet glow of his eyes were visible from beneath his obsidian hair.

"I'm glad you could make it, Vincent." Tifa smiled brightly as she stood aside to allow him entry.

"I know it may sound odd, but I was hoping you'd call." His voice was deep and rumbling, and though sounded strangely upbeat, was still tainted with a permanent stain of sorrow. "I've been waiting to finally tell him the truth."

"He's upstairs looking after his plants; I'll call him down for you."

Vincent only nodded as she left the room. He remained in the bar, and though he had resolved to wait patiently, an unusual feeling rushed over him. He was nervous, worried about how this conversation would turn out. He hoped that whatever he said would not upset Sephiroth, but rather put his mind at ease.

Sephiroth's heart was in his throat as he followed Tifa back down to the bar. With each beat of his heart, he felt his body quiver. This was it, this was when he would learn about his mother and perhaps even have a shot at finding her. He hoped she was in fact a woman, and not some kind of monster or nothing more than an artificial womb that housed his developing embryo.

As he hit the landing, he saw a man standing in the room. He looked familiar to him, as if he'd engaged this man in battle, and he was certain that he had at some point. Tifa stood beside him and he unconsciously sought her hand for support. He squeezed her fingers in a way that said, "Stay beside me," and Tifa was inclined to remain through this life-altering moment.

Together they approached Vincent, who stared intently at Sephiroth from over the brim of upright collar. There was a shiver of silence before Vincent began to close the distance between them. With each footstep, the buckles and armored pieces adorning his attire clanked and jingled, resonating through the room. As he came to a stop, the sound ceased save for the metallic clink of Vincent's hand rising toward Sephiroth.

Cautiously, Sephiroth raised his own hand to Vincent's. They were mutually pleased with the firm handshake and Vincent lifted his head enough for Sephiroth to see his face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Vincent." Vincent said, his voice held a tone of vigilance as he eyed Sephiroth's behavior. He seemed almost like a child as he clutched to Tifa's hand and the fear of what he was to learn was evident his otherwise unreadable gaze.

"Sephiroth, the pleasure's all mine." Sephiroth replied, feeling as though he were about to leap out of his own skin. He too observed the man before him wondering how he would know about his origins. After all, Vincent looked so young, not appearing any older than himself, however in this strange world it was quite possible that he was much older than he appeared to be.

The three of them took a seat at a table, silence falling over them as they made themselves comfortable. Being a man of few words, Vincent was unsure of how to begin. Should he make small talk or jump to the chase. Due to what little he knew about Sephiroth personally, he felt it was wise to just get to the point and idle conversation could come later should fate allow.

"So you wish to learn of your mother?" Vincent breathed, a lump forming his throat at the thought of the woman he once loved.

"I do." Sephiroth's own throat felt constricted, and he struggled to keep his breath steady.

"What do you wish to know first?"

"I'm not sure…I suppose…I want to know her name."

The hard line of Vincent's mouth bowed as he attempted a smile. "Her name was Lucretia…Lucretia Crescent."

Sephiroth's eyes lit up at the lovely, romantic name.

"Does this please you?"

"Yes…yes it does…" Sephiroth's eyes dropped to the floor before darting back up to Vincent's. "What did she look like?"

"She was…" Vincent trailed off as he thought about her, remembering every detail perfectly, "…She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life…She had long brown hair that she wore bound up high with a yellow scarf, she had brown eyes framed with the longest, fullest eyelashes that any woman could have…When she smiled her eyes would sparkle like sunlight on the surface of a lake…" He turned his face back beneath his collar, his hair falling into place.

Sephiroth gulped down the choking feeling he had and leaned in closer. "You knew my mother well, I take it?"

Vincent only nodded, he trembled visibly, but dared not allow his emotions to show upon his face as he looked back up. "Your mother…was the light of my life…I loved her more than I ever loved anyone."

"You loved her…" Sephiroth did his best not to start crying, but he found it difficult to remain stoic.

"She was the one person that ever brought me any joy…I thought she and I would be forever…"

"Vincent…are you my…" Sephiroth struggled to complete the question, but he fell short of the final word. But Vincent knew what it was.

"No." He said swiftly, marking the disappointment on Sephiroth's face. "As much as I wish it to be true…I am not your father. Hojo is your father, I'm sorry."

Sephiroth shuddered at the name and his heart sank at the thought of his father being a demented lunatic. "What happened to me, Vincent? What am I?"

Vincent sighed quietly beneath his collar and lifted his face to few once more. "Your mother and I were having an affair when you were conceived. Hojo had convinced her to give herself and her unborn child over for an experiment involving Jenova."

Sephiroth held his breath the name left Vincent's lips and it lingered in the air as a cold draft wafting past him. "So…she did have a hand in my creation."

"Do not say 'create'; you were _born_, Sephiroth. Never forget that…you were _born_." He vaguely noticed Tifa rise from the table as he continued. Sephiroth however felt lost without her beside him, but remained perfectly still. "You were injected with Jenova's cells when you were still in the womb. She was initially thought to be an ancient and they were trying to create a human – Cetra hybrid to lead the way to the Promised Land which Shinra believed was rich in mako."

"My mother gave me up for science?" Sephiroth dropped his head in his hand, an overwhelming sense of betrayal overtaking him. He was only too aware that Tifa had returned to his side. His hand quickly sought hers out again. "Did she love me at all?"

"I wouldn't say she gave you up…and I don't know if she loved you. When I found out what they were up to, Hojo shot me. Lucretia saved my life by putting the Chaos gene inside of me." Vincent only just became aware of the glass of water that Tifa had placed before him. He tapped the bottom of the glass with his armored fingertip, watching the condensation pool on the golden surface. "When I was still recovering I overheard her begging him to let her see you…she was frantic and desperate…there's no doubt, at least in my mind, that even if she didn't want you at first…she definitely wanted you later."

Tifa wrenched her hand out of Sephiroth's grasp only to put her arm around his waist and put her opposite hand in his. He gazed at her from the corner of his eye and inclined his head toward her, wanting to rest it on her shoulder and bury his face in the crook of her neck. But he turned back to Vincent.

"Is she still alive…or did she die?"

Vincent noticed how close and friendly they'd become, but he did not acknowledge it. "It depends on how you interpret dead or alive. She tried to take her own life but failed, afterward she sealed herself away in a cave. She's still there."

"My mother is still alive there?" Sephiroth's face lit up at the idea. "Where is this cave?" Tifa felt his muscles tense up with his excitement and she knew this was the moment he'd been waiting for.

"It's located in the Western Continent. Not far from Nibelheim."

Once again, Sephiroth flinched at the mention of a name he'd rather not have heard. But he breathed a heavy sigh, as if relieved, and furthermore was in fact pleased with this story. His mother was a human woman, that much was more than he could've asked for, and she was still alive. He closed his eyes and turned his face toward the ceiling, feeling like a weight had been lifted from his chest.

"I want to go." He whispered. "I want to go to my mother. Even if we cannot wake her, I want to at least see her face."

"Then we should go. We can leave at any time."

Sephiroth wanted to leave immediately, but he wanted Tifa go as well. And with Cloud making his deliveries, and the children to look after, Tifa can't just up and leave to go away with him. He looked over at her face, so sweet and beautiful; in her eyes he saw her care and her support of him. He reached up and caressed her cheek. Tifa leaned into his hand, trying to decipher what was going on in his mind.

"Let's go when the children have their next holiday from school." Sephiroth looked back to Vincent. "They will be taking a break next month."

"Are you sure you don't want to go now?" Tifa asked, completely surprised that he wasn't running out the door.

"I want all of you to come with me."

"Then we will."

"I suppose I will come back when you're ready to go." Vincent concurred as he stood to leave.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a while?" Tifa asked as she got up to see him out.

"I should leave; you know I'm not much for company." Vincent's voice dropped down to a whisper, hoping Sephiroth wouldn't hear. "I cannot look at his face for too much longer…He really does resemble her up close."

Tifa only nodded in understanding, offering a friendly smile. "Just know you're welcome any time you want to come over, remember I offered to let you live here once."

"And I appreciate that…I will see you later." With that, Vincent was gone, closing the door behind him and making his swift escape to wherever it was he haunted.

Tifa locked the door and turned around to find Sephiroth standing just behind her. She jumped a little, having not heard him approach.

"I heard what he said…about looking like my mother." That was when Sephiroth broke down. This time he was the one hiding his tears on her shoulder.

She hushed him as she brushed back his hair. She could feel the tears flooding from his eyes, bleeding through her shirt. It was strange to have the roles reversed, to be doing the comforting rather than being comforted. But it was a good sort of strange, and she squeezed him tightly against her.

"Tifa…" Came his uncharacteristically mousey whimper. "Thank you for being my friend."

She didn't reply, she only lifted his head and looked into his eyes, finding them glossy and red, with silvery tears rolling down his smooth cheeks. She brought her hands up to cup his jaw, wiping his tears away with her thumbs. His hands slid up her back to her shoulders and down her arms, only to slide back up to her wrists. Turning his face into her palm, he placed a kiss there. Tracing his kisses down her wrists, he then tossed her arms back over his shoulders; he took her body closer and planted his mouth firmly upon hers. She didn't resist; she wanted it too.

Their lips were locked with passion, though they kept calm. Sephiroth's lips roved against hers with utter grace, gently tasting her sweet breath and relishing the softness of her body pressing against him. Tifa, likewise, was enjoying the heat of his breaths on her face and his strong arms wrapping tightly around her, and the taste of his tears mingling with his saliva.

When they parted, Sephiroth pushed her hair back and kissed her gently on the nose, drawing out a soft giggle from her throat. He managed a smile.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For this again." He almost laughed.

"Don't apologize to me…just kiss me…" She leaned up and took his mouth again.

It might seem strange to think how a woman could possibly be friends with, let alone kiss the man who destroyed her life, but Tifa could not find that monster in the man before her now. He had the same voice, the same face, and the same name…but he was not the same inside. This kiss, while would be unexpected to those who knew them, seemed so entirely and irrevocably right.

Her conversation with Elmyra was still fresh in her mind and she could sense how much Sephiroth really did care about her. She could feel it in his kiss, his touch, see it in the way he looked at her, and even hear it in the beating of his heart as she rested her ear on his chest.

She had loved Cloud since they were children, but childhood crushes are known to end, and she kept that in mind. She was no longer a little girl, she was a woman now and she needed to look forward into the future. This man more than once vowed to provide her with the strength and happiness he claimed she deserved.

And only at that moment did she really believe it.


	20. Chapter XX: Peaceful Reflection

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. YAY! We're going on an adventure!**

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**Change of Heart **

**Chapter XX: Peaceful Reflection**

For the next month, Sephiroth and Tifa continued to live quietly, running the bar and caring for the children. Cloud came and went as he always did. The excitement of learning of his mother was ever fresh and alive inside of Sephiroth, but he did well to suppress the urge to run out and go to her cave, keeping in mind his obligation to Tifa. So he patiently waited for the children to leave school for the autumn holiday, so that the four of them could go with Vincent. That day seemed so far away thought it inched closer and closer as the month passed.

But as soon as the children came home the first evening of their weeklong vacation, Sephiroth was eager to set out on their trip. It would take a couple of hours to get to the port, and another day by sea, and then another several hours by either foot or chocobo.

"Are the children packed?" Sephiroth asked Tifa, a tremor of excitement vibrating in his throat.

"They are and we're leaving first thing in the morning, I've already called Vincent." Tifa grinned at him brightly; she too was excited about going to find Lucretia.

"Good…Listen, Tifa, I don't mean to push you into this or rush you at all."

"Don't be," She nudged him in the arm, "I'm happy to go with you and the kids are excited to visit the Western Continent, they haven't been anywhere in so long."

"Well then, I shall retire." He patted her shoulder and to his room.

Tifa watched after him, "Goodnight, Sephiroth."

"Goodnight, Tifa." He closed the door.

Before the sun rose that morning, Tifa and Sephiroth were already on their way to the port to catch a ship. The ride on the shuttle, which goes from Edge to the port and back, was less than desirable. It was bumpy and windy and the children huddled between Tifa and Sephiroth for warmth and protection from the chilly air.

Fortunately for them, there was a small diner at the docks were they could get something for breakfast and the children could warm up before boarding the ship. Vincent was waiting for them there.

"I was wondering if I had the time wrong." He'd said solemnly as they found him in a booth by the window.

He was as always, a conspicuous sight, dressed in his usual red attire, lurking like a ghost in the corner. But the wait staff and patrons were wary of him, Tifa, Sephiroth, and the children were more than happy to see him.

"I'm sorry, the shuttle ran a little behind schedule." Tifa apologized as they piled into the booth.

"It's not a problem, I haven't been waiting long anyway." He scanned over them. "Cloud didn't come with you?"

"No, he's working on his deliveries."

"Of course he is."

"Alright," Tifa grinned as she took the menus from the waitress who had quietly approached, "So who's ready for breakfast?"

The kids were more than ecstatic to eat, after spending three hours starving on the shuttle. They were quick to order their favorites; eggs, bacon, and pancakes with whipped cream. Tifa and Sephiroth on the other hand were feeling more like biscuits and gravy.

"I don't know if I can eat." Sephiroth whispered in her ear.

"You need to try, don't forget we still have a long boat ride," She looked at his somber face, "It'll be alright, don't worry."

Sephiroth squeezed her hand beneath the table. "I know."

Though he was blind to this exchange, Vincent still noticed how close they were to each other. He'd noticed when he'd come to the bar that previous month, but chose to ignore it, and continued to remain silent. It wasn't what he'd expected, but at the same time he was relieved to see that Tifa had chosen to steer her feelings from Cloud. He knew she'd never be happy if she continued on like she had, and it was looking to him like Sephiroth had given her new meaning to her life.

The ship ride seemed like an eternity. Sephiroth spent much of the trip on the outer deck, reflecting. He wasn't sure what he was expecting or really hoping for, but he wished at least, that if she would wake from her sleep, that she'd tell him what he wanted to hear from her. He remembered his childhood and how he felt when he was told that his mother had died giving birth to him. The memory itself was vague, but the emotions were still strong. He felt like he was responsible, like he'd killed her himself. As an adult, it was easier to deal with, but for a child, the thoughts were too painful to bear. But now he felt like that weight had been lifted. He had a chance to find her and make up those stolen years.

A soft, tender hand caressed his back and slid down his arm. Tifa came up behind him, resting her elbows on the railing, watching the sunlight sparkle on the swells.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked wistfully.

_Not as beautiful as you_, Sephiroth wanted to say, but he only agreed with, "Mmm-hmm."

"We're ahead of schedule, they say we'll be there in a just a couple of hours. Are you ready?"

"More than ready. When I was a boy, I was told she died giving birth to me…I always carried it hard, but I buried it as much as possible."

"Now you know that was a lie."

"Like everything else in my life." His voice was suddenly laden with contempt.

"Not everything is a lie." She took his hand. "Our friendship isn't a lie."

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "No, it's not." He reached out to caress her cheek.

He wanted to kiss her again, but she'd distanced herself from him in the last month, since the day Vincent had told him the truth about his mother. But he could sense the tension that moved between them wasn't resentful.

In fact, Tifa was avoiding him, not because she didn't wish to be the center of his affection, but because she feared that her children wouldn't understand…especially Denzel. She feared that Denzel would feel like she was betraying her feelings for Cloud, and would therefore ruin his growing relationship with Sephiroth. The child was strong, both outside and in, but he was touchy when it came to her relationship with Cloud and their roles as his adoptive parents. She didn't need anyone to tell her how the boy felt, she knew he wanted her to marry Cloud…but that wasn't going to happen.

"So why have you been so standoffish?" Sephiroth took a step closer to her and reached out to wrap his arm around her waist.

"I think you know why." It was almost scary how he was thinking the same thing she was.

"It's either Cloud or the children."

"A little of both." She confessed, smoothing her hands across his chest. "I still have feelings for him…and I don't want to upset the children."

"I know you don't." He took her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers tenderly. "I'm going for a nap."

Then he left her alone, returning below to their small cabin. Tifa remained on deck, enjoying the feeling of the sun beating down on her. She wondered at her relationship with Sephiroth, she knew he loved her; he'd not said the words, but she knew…however she was still a little confused at how she really felt about him. She was also aware that Cloud was interested in a _friends with benefits_ arrangement with her, and she was somewhat fine with it…But in the end he was right when he said it's not what she really wants or needs.

"So what should I do?" Tifa asked herself. She brushed her lips with her fingers, thinking of his kiss. That's the most they'd done physically, but the emotion that was evoked in that kiss was so intense. She could feel all _he_ felt, and how much he wanted her.

She returned to the cabin and found him sleeping on his narrow twin bed – if it really could be considered a bed as it resembled Cloud's fold out cot back home. She stood there quietly, watching the deep rise and fall of his muscular chest, how his eye lashes fluttered ever so slightly, and how his nostril barely flared as he breathed. Taking up a seat beside him, she was instantly reminded of how she'd watched him as he slept after his defeat. At that time, she'd entertained the thought of killing him as he lie helpless, but now she was considering stealing another kiss.

His face was so serene, especially as he slept. His was wide jaw was relaxed and his mouth looked smaller, in turn making his lips appear fuller and more inviting. She timidly ran her finger along his bottom lip and then traced it back down his jaw then down his neck. She took in softness of his skin there and how his Adam's apple bobbed when he unconsciously swallowed the saliva collecting in his mouth.

But she didn't want to take advantage of him, no matter how innocent the crime. Tifa instead went to her own bed and lay down, figuring a nap would do well to pass the time.

It seemed like only a few seconds had passed and the captain was announcing their arrival at Costa Del Sol. Sephiroth sat to find Tifa straightening her hair and he smile up at her.

"We're here?"

"Yes, we must've had a tailwind or something because we're here hours ahead of schedule." She grabbed her backpack and made sure everything was in its place. "We weren't supposed to arrive until early tomorrow morning."

Sephiroth looked at the digital clock on the table, reading 7:34pm. "I'm sure the children are more than happy to be off this boat."

"They've been sleeping most of the day, that's what they do when they're bored." Tifa laughed at the irony, considering that she and Sephiroth did the same thing. "Besides, he doesn't show it, but Vincent really loves children, so he's been trying to entertain them all day."

"That's surprising considering how antisocial he is."

"When he gets to know people, he opens up more and more." She assured as there was a knock at the door.

It was Vincent and the children…Speak of the devil. Marlene was excited to go up top to see them approach the port, and wanted Tifa and Sephiroth to join them. Sephiroth was still a little drowsy, but nodded in approval of the little girl's wishes as he stood up and pushed gently past Tifa as both children too his hands.

"Are you coming too, Tifa?" Denzel asked.

"I'll be up in a moment." She assured him, noticing Vincent step into the cabin.

Vincent had been pondering over Tifa's closeness with Sephiroth and finally decided to acknowledge it.

"Tifa, can I ask you a personal question?" He inquired as he closed the door.

"I suppose." Her eyebrows knitted and her mouth formed that line once more.

"I was wondering what exactly your relationship is with Sephiroth."

Tifa had wondered when he'd ask, feeling a little like he'd backed her into a corner. She had been expecting it, though failed to prepare an answer.

"He's my friend." She said plainly. "I'm really the only one he has."

"Pardon me, Tifa, I didn't mean to intrude." Vincent was quick to apologize.

"Don't worry, I've been thinking about it myself lately." She reseated herself on her bed. "I know that he loves me."

"Has he said so?"

"No, but…as you know, actions speak louder than words."

"Ah." Vincent nodded in understanding. "He does seem like he values you. How do you feel about that?"

"I don't really know. I'm flattered that he prizes me the way he does, but at the same time I wish that it was Cloud that treated me like he does."

"Like I said, I didn't mean to intrude. But I'm your friend too, and I just wanted to make sure that you're safe with him."

"I don't think we have anything to worry about. If he wanted to hurt us, he'd have done it already." She paused before continuing. "You don't think he's dangerous, do you? That he's just playing at caring to get us to let our guard down?"

Vincent closed his eyes in thought. "To be honest Tifa, anyone can be dangerous. Anyone can just snap and go mad…Sephiroth did just that in Nibelheim. But, even so…I don't think you have anything to fear. I think he's successfully rehabilitated, if that makes any sense."

"I hope so." Tifa hadn't truly seen him as threat since he first woke up, but Vincent's concern suddenly made her doubt Sephiroth's intentions. "This will be a test then. If he doesn't go crazy again when we take him to Lucretia…then we know he'll be alright."

Vincent only nodded in agreement and the two of them joined the others on the outer deck.

"Tifa! Look!" Marlene pointed at the lush green landmass that seemed to be advancing on them, though they in fact were the ones moving.

"That's pretty." She agreed as she leaned over railing. "The water is so clear and blue here."

"I want to play in it! Can we, Tifa?" Marlene whined as she hung on Tifa's arm.

"Perhaps we can later, but we're here to find Sephiroth's mom, so be patient, alright?"

The girl frowned and hung her head. The child had never seen blue ocean before, nor had she been to a warm, sunny beach, or anything similar. It broke Tifa's heart to refuse her such a privilege, but she didn't want to make Sephiroth wait any longer to find his mother. She hugged Marlene close and kissed her little cheek.

"When we find Sephiroth's mom, we'll come back and play at the beach, ok?"

"You mean it?" Her face lit up.

"Yeah, we can stay as long you want."

Marlene tossed her arms around her and squeezed her waist tightly. "Thank you, Tifa!"

Sephiroth watched this exchange from the corner of his eye. This is what he loved most about this wonderful woman. He loved the way she couldn't resist her children. It mesmerized him to witness such amazing devotion she had to children that weren't even her own, and he wondered if his own mother would've been so loving and kind.

Would he have had the same relationship with his mother and Denzel and Marlene had with Tifa? He shook it off and put his hand on Denzel's shoulder, causing the boy to snap his head up at him. Sephiroth only smiled, causing the boy to return his own excited grin.

"I can't wait to find your mom." Denzel whispered.

"Neither can I."

"Vincent says she's really pretty."

"He told me she was."

Denzel was quiet for a moment and stole a glance at Tifa before turning back to Sephiroth and waving him to crouch down to his level. "Hey, Sephiroth…Do you think _my _mom's pretty?" It was an unexpected question to rise, however, Sephiroth should've seen it coming for miles. Given their conversation about how Sephiroth felt about Tifa, it was strange that Denzel had waited so long to ask this question.

"Yes, I think she's beautiful." Sephiroth confessed honestly. "What made you ask me that?"

"I was just wondering." He glanced back over his shoulder to make sure she was out of ear shot. "Hey, her birthday is in a couple of days."

"What?" Sephiroth was shocked. "She failed to mention that."

"She doesn't think it's important."

"Well…we should change that." Sephiroth put his hand out. "Do you want to help?"

"Sure!" Denzel and Sephiroth shook hands as they began plotting for Tifa's birthday.


	21. Chapter XXI: Nothing But a Reflection

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXI: Nothing But a Reflection**

No one, not even the children, found it necessary to rest for the night. Everyone had slept the day away on the ship, and they were content to continue onward toward the Crystal Cave. Going on foot was easy enough, though the journey would end up being much longer than Sephiroth would've pleased. There was a consensus to rent some chocobos from the stables in Costa Del Sol, an arrangement that everyone found most fitting. There would be three birds for their party, Vincent would ride one, while Tifa and Marlene would pair up on the second, and then Sephiroth and Denzel would share the third.

"How long is the ride?" Sephiroth called out to Vincent as the sun slowly began to set behind the mountains.

"It will only be a few hours by chocobo, it would be another whole day if we walked." Vincent explained.

As the giant golden birds pranced across the mountainous terrain, Sephiroth happened to look over Tifa. She looked lovely as her long dark hair flew out behind her. She was slightly silhouetted by the sunset and the glow of the sun shined around her, making her appear no less than angelic. He watched as her chocobo swerved in front of him and he received a grand view of her backside. Her body swayed with the movement of the bird and while slightly comical, it was also very sexy. It was then that he was glad Denzel was riding _behind_ him.

The night descended quickly, but the moonlight was so bright it lit up their path. Sephiroth was surprised that no one had wanted to stop yet, and he was quite pleased for it. He could feel the knot forming in his stomach and he feared it would make him ill. But he dared not steer his mount off the path; he pressed onward the thought of finally seeing his mother strengthening him all the more.

It was almost a shock when Vincent suddenly slowed down. He'd been in the lead and was passed by Tifa when he'd stopped. She was fast to turn around and ride back to where he'd come to rest. Sephiroth had almost run past but he was quicker to pull back on the reigns.

"The cave is just ahead." Vincent said to their inquiring faces. "I'm sorry to stop, but…It has been a while since I've been here. Come on." He continued ahead much slower, as if savoring the anticipation.

It wasn't long before they reached the waterfall, only a few yards from where they'd stopped. They could hear the rushing of the water from that point, and it mixed with the sound of the blood pulsing in Sephiroth's ears as they drew ever closer.

Sephiroth felt obliged to continue slowly, though wished to race on a head. Tifa peered over and gazed upon him, noticing the worry that misted his face. His eyes were dark though were soft and he appeared as though he were about to pass out.

They reached a circular clearing; where a beautiful lake took up most of the area, save for a narrow path that wrapped around the edge of the water. The waterfall stood majestically in the center of the rocky wall that surrounded the clearing.

Vincent dismounted and the rest followed suit. They tied off the birds on some strong tree roots that jutted out from the rocks. They continued on into the cave, barely escaping getting drenched by the waterfall. The children clung to them so as not to risk slipping, though due to their added weight, the adults feared they may just fall down. There was not a single word spoken between them, there was too much tension, too much fear, and too much excitement enflaming all their stomachs it was too difficult to press down. Sephiroth especially was feeling the butterflies, and he fell them shoot up into his throat, only to strike his heart and be forced back down as he came to stand before a great crystalline pillar.

There was an ethereal beauty to this magnificent structure, regardless of whether natural or manmade. Sephiroth was astonished at the glowing light that it emitted and he was inclined to inch further. Denzel had been holding his hand, but paused mid step, causing Sephiroth to reel back, though only slightly. He turned a curious gaze to the boy who in turn looked frightened. Tifa noticed and reached out to put her arm around him, coaxing him to her side and to let go of Sephiroth.

Vincent remained silent as well, not draw near the crystal coffin as he wanted Sephiroth to not feel rushed. He wished him to take his own time in approaching and nodded when he looked at him with wide eyes, as if seeking his approval.

Sephiroth could see the shadow of someone encased in the crystal, it appeared to be hovering within its glittering confinement, though he was sure the body was standing upon a hard surface. As he stepped up to it, his face nearly pressed to the side, he saw her, a woman sleeping within. She was just as beautiful as Vincent had described and appeared quite young, as too had mentioned. She had long brown hair tied up in a golden scarf and was clad in a silken white gown, her hands crossed delicately over her chest. She looked like an angel that had been frozen in time, perfectly preserved just for him to see. He thought this was it,that he'd only see her and it would be done. But what happened next was beyond anything he'd ever hoped.

"…_Sephiroth_…" The voice was that of a woman, and was ever so soft. Initially, Sephiroth had thought that Tifa had called out to him, but as he responded her, she only shrugged. The voice continued, "…_Sephiroth…I've been dreaming of you lately…I always hoped one day this moment would come_."

At that moment, it was clear the voice was not Tifa's. It was different, deeper, and more mature. He tossed his attention back to Lucretia.

"Mother? Is that you?" He whispered back, only loud enough for himself to hear. But somehow she'd heared.

"_My son…I've been waiting_…" The voice was undoubtedly hers.

"Mother…" He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears that suddenly invaded his eyes, "…I've been searching for you for so long."

"_Now you've found me."_

"But what should I do now?"

"_You should live the life you've been given."_

"I cannot take you home with me…can I?"

"_You cannot. I am bound to this place. I am merely a reflection of what once was." _

"So this is it then? I've come all this way to see you and I can't even touch you?" He pressed his hand to the crystal, wishing to somehow breakthrough it and set her free. But, was there even really a physical body in there he can release, or if he should shatter it, would she simply disappear? As he dropped his head in grief, he suddenly remembered the one question he needed an answer to. "Mother…Vincent told me everything about the circumstances leading to my birth…but there was one question he could not answer…Do you love me?"

"_Sephiroth…my son…"_ If a sleeping memory could cry, she would have, _"…I have made some terrible choices in the past, I've wronged you in a way that no mother should ever wrong her child…while it might have been so cruel to do what I've done…"_ She fell silent, as if trying to contain her own emotions, and Sephiroth could have sword he'd seen tears rush from her closed eyes, _"…I have always loved you. I love you more than my own life. If I could do it again I'd rather die than to let that monster touch you. You're my son, my only son…"_

Sephiroth felt as though his heart was being squeezed inside of his chest and this throat in turn felt tight and he fought to keep from breaking down. "M-mother, I want you to come home with me. I need you."

"_I will always _here_ for you whenever you're in need of me." _

"That's not enough!" He banged on the crystal. Vincent inched toward him ready to pounce upon him. Tifa almost jumped out of her skin, feeling the children draw closer to her; it was then she almost wished she'd left them at home.

"_Sephiroth…I'm so sorry…" _

Vincent almost lost it at that. He too had been watching wordlessly, feeling his own emotions bubble up inside of him. She'd said that before, saying she was sorry when she felt there was nothing more she could possibly say. At that moment, he too wanted to break the crystal open and take her away with him. But he restrained himself, just as Sephiroth did, for fear she would disappear.

Sephiroth sunk down to his knees before her, "Please…what can I do? I've needed you since before I can even remember. Ever since I was a boy…All I ever wanted was my mother."

When she said nothing, Sephiroth stood and took one more last look at her face. He took in every single feature, trying his best to commit her to memory, hoping that once he left here, he'd never feel the need to seek her out again. After an eternity of gazing at her, he turned away and slowly began to step down from the crystal tomb. He made eye contact with Tifa, whose own eyes were reddened and brimmed with tears. He wondered what she was thinking at that moment. Was she about to cry him, or was she possibly thinking of her own father whom she'd never see again. He felt very selfish in that instant, knowing that at least he got a chance to see his mother, whilst Tifa would never again see her father or even hear his voice except in her dreams and her memories. But even with this new thought, Sephiroth couldn't shake that fact that he didn't have something that Tifa did. He never experienced a joyful childhood, he never knew the love of his parents, and lived a happy life with what time he would've had. Instead he was more or less an orphan, kept in a lab and experimented on for the sick pleasures of his repulsive detestable…he couldn't even fathom calling that _thing_ his father. He couldn't even grasp how his beautiful, loving mother could've ever willingly been with that loathsome slime of a man. Perhaps she never did go willingly, and a thought like that sickened him all the more.

Suddenly, he stopped midway from his friends and felt a massive surge of energy rip through him. Rage, despair, and agony rushed madly through his veins and he suddenly pivoted on his heal, rushing toward the crystal and ramming his fist straight through it. It happened so fast, not even Vincent was fast enough to stop him.

There was a flash of light so bright it rivaled the sun. Tifa reflexively leapt before the children and brought them close to her bosom so that she might absorb whatever blast expelled over them. Vincent had also attempted to shield the three of them from it, kneeling down over Tifa and tossing his cape around her. Shards of crystal and unremarkable stone rained down around them, striking the columns and stalagmites. Thankfully, no stalactites fell from above, though they did threaten to do so.

The entire event felt like an eternity, though in fact only last several seconds. The cave suddenly went dark, not even the crystals glowed any longer. A single shred of moonlight seeped in from a fissure above, but other than that it was black. There was very little anyone could see at that moment, nor was there any sound, save for heavy labored breaths, and Sephiroth's sobs of anguish.

* * *

**I could have made it longer, but I wanted to leave it a cliff hanger. **


	22. Chapter XXII: Waking Up

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

* * *

**Change of Heart **

**Chapter XXII: Waking Up**

There was no sure way to say if it was adrenaline or the last remaining bit of Jenova's power left flowing through his veins, but somehow Sephiroth was able to break the crystal to pieces. The light that exploded before him was blinding, enveloping him entirely as he reached into the opening he'd made. His eyes were closed tightly, feeling around inside and finding nothing. He'd thought that perhaps he'd made a grave mistake and she'd indeed disappeared. But as he moved his arm to the side, he felt the softness of human hair.

"Mother…" He breathed, grasping her with both hands and pulling her out of the crystal.

Vincent and Tifa both looked up, finding the light had gone out and the cave was left black with only a bit of moonlight fading in from above. They stared in the direction where the crystal was, and heard Sephiroth's labored breaths and soft sobs intermingled with the clinking of crystal shards, where he shuffled a few yards away.

Faintly, they could see his shadow rise in the darkness, and move toward them slowly but purposefully. It wasn't until he'd made it to the soft moonbeam, that they could see he carried something in his arms. Vincent jumped up and started toward him, but he just continued on past, toward the mouth of the cave.

"Sephiroth, what happened?" Tifa asked with a shaky voice. But Sephiroth ignored her and his silence unnerved her. Holding the children close to her, she followed him outside.

The four of them exited the cave, finding Sephiroth kneeling on the ground beside the water, laying a woman down on the ground. He handled her so gently, as if he were afraid she'd break. He gazed up at them, they were instantly relieved to find that their worst fear did not come to life. Sephiroth did not snap. He was still the same as he was when they arrived. His eyes were full of tears and he looked utterly pitiful, so unlike what Tifa and Vincent had seen before.

Vincent dropped down beside him, gazing down at the woman he loved. He took a chance and reached out to touch her, almost afraid that she was nothing more than an illusion, but she was in fact solid and his hand found its place against her cheek, finding her surprisingly warm. Feeling her breath on his hand he snatched his hand away and silently turned to Sephiroth.

"She's alive." He whispered, his heart felt as though it were about to burst.

"We should take her back to town with us." Sephiroth asserted.

"No, we should stay, you need to rest…and the Tifa and the children I'm sure are tired." Vincent argued softly.

"No, we can travel. Besides, I didn't bring any tents with us." Tifa insisted, clearly siding with Sephiroth on this, sensing his distress. Even Denzel and Marlene nodded eagerly, ready to head back to Costa Del Sol, where warm beds were waiting.

Vincent was felt utterly defeated. The truth was, he was not comfortable moving Lucretia, fearing she'd not make the journey. But somehow Sephiroth was certain she was strong enough. He waisted no time in securing her against him on his chocobo, waiting impatiently as everyone mounted and they took off into the night.

The journey seemed longer this time to Vincent, but to Sephiroth it only seemed like a matter of minutes. It was strange how different he felt on their way back. Going to the cave, he'd been excited and nervous, as well as aroused by watching Tifa ride. But this time, Sephiroth felt a sense of relief, but was also felt sad and regretful.

Once they'd arrived back in Costa Del Sol, they immediately headed for the inn. Tifa quickly ran to the desk and checked in, renting two rooms for the night. Her nerves had caused goose bumps to rise on her arms. She didn't know why she felt so panicked, but she wished the man behind the counter would hurry up and give her the keys. When he finally handed them over, she rushed back out to where her party was waiting. Sephiroth still held Lucretia in his arms and she waved them over and led them up to their rooms.

The cloud of tension and anxiety that hung over them was ever potent, causing all of them to feel as through their energy was being siphoned straight out of their veins. As soon as Denzel and Marlene entered the room they'd share with Tifa and Sephiroth, they quietly said their goodnights and quickly put themselves to bed.

In Vincent's room, Sephiroth gently placed Lucretia on the bed, unsure of what to do next. She was unconscious, and it seemed she'd remain so until morning. Slowly, Sephiroth turned to face Vincent and Tifa who'd been standing just behind him.

"Why'd you do that?" Vincent said darkly.

"I don't know…I just felt so angry." He looked up at him almost sheepishly.

"You could've destroyed her."

"I wasn't about to leave without bringing her with me." Sephiroth dropped his head only bring it back up. "Don't pretend you hadn't thought about it."

It was true, Vincent had considered breaking the crystal to release her, but he was too frightened that she'd disappear.

"She said she was nothing more than a reflection. I did not think she was even truly inside."

"But she was…and now she's with us." Sephiroth turned back to her, taking in her features just as he did in the cave. "Don't pretend you're angry, Vincent. You're just as relieved as I am."

Tifa remained silent throughout the exchange. She wasn't sure what to think of everything that had happened. She'd been under the same dubious impression that the children had been, imagining that this reunion would have been a much happier event, not full of such pain and grief. She'd thought the time of agony was over and that they'd start a brighter, sweeter chapter.

She sighed deeply.

However, this dark shadow that seemed to hover over them could've been caused by how tired they were, and how nervous Sephiroth had initially been. She was only just aware of how exhausted she suddenly was, a dizzy sensation coming over her.

"Listen…" She said suddenly. "I'm going to bed; I'll see you in the morning." She brushed past before either of the men could respond and left them alone together.

Sephiroth and Vincent watched after her as she closed the door. As the latch tumbled into place, they turned their eyes back to one another.

"You're right. I am relieved…I suppose I'm only angry because I hadn't done it first." Vincent confessed, somehow feeling slightly calmer and more confident now that one woman had left and the other remained asleep.

"So what now? What should we do?"

"We wait. Hopefully, she'll wake by morning. In the meantime, I suggest we all turn in for the night."

"Yes." Sephiroth took one last look at Lucretia. He smoothed back her hair and bent down to kiss her on the forehead. "Goodnight, Mother." He whispered tenderly, before bidding Vincent goodnight and leaving him alone.

When Sephiroth entered his room, Tifa was sitting on the chair in the corner, watching Denzel and Marlene sleep.

"I thought you were going to bed."

"I was, but I realized there's a problem. Look at this and tell me what you see." She motioned to the children sleeping soundly in one bed while the other remained empty.

It took Sephiroth's exhausted brain a moment to realize what she was hinting at. Turning his head to the side, he nodded in understanding.

"You can take the bed; I'll sleep in the chair."

"Are you sure? I don't mind." She said.

"No, I insist, go to bed."

"Well, I was thinking…see how the kids are all cuddled up on their own respective sides of the bed and aren't bothering each other? Well, perhaps the bed is big enough for both of _us_ to be just as comfortable." It was another rash move on Tifa's part, and to be honest she wasn't sure why she tried it.

A part of her feared rejection, however she was willing to put herself out there to at least let him know she was interested. Sephiroth gazed at her through hazy, tired eyes. He reached out and touched her softly upon the cheek, his long fingers wrapping around her face and into her hair. He leaned into her, pressing himself against her body, and tilted her head back. He leaned his head down until he was almost nose to nose with her.

"Tifa…what are you thinking?" His voice was nothing more than a ghostly whisper, barely audible.

"I'm thinking we shouldn't avoid each other anymore." Her reply was equally as quiet. "And…I think we should stop avoiding the inevitable."

Sephiroth only smirked in victory before claiming her lips with his own. Their kiss was deep and full of passion, though the sake of the children, restrained. They wanted to give in and let go of all inhibitions, but considering they were not alone…

Sephiroth slowly, moved his mouth from Tifa's. "Come on." He gently pushed her toward the bed, both of them pausing long enough to remove their boots. Tifa had packed some nightclothes in her backpack, but they were too tired to get changed.

Climbing into bed, Tifa took her space lying on her side, facing away from Sephiroth who rested on his back.

"Hey, I thought you said you weren't going to avoid me." He teased, rolling her over and holding her against his chest.

Tifa didn't fight nor did she argue, she cuddled into his chest and breathed his musky scent. It felt nice to be held by him like this. It wouldn't be long before they both succumbed to sleep.

Vincent too found himself in a bind when it came to bedtime. When he placed Lucretia between the sheets, he felt the urge to climb into bed beside her. But he stopped himself. He assumed it would be the same as taking advantage of her. He didn't know how she'd react to waking in bed beside someone, regardless if it was him or not. In the end, Vincent took the opposite bed.

Denzel and Marlene were the first to wake the following day, finding a peculiar sight when they both rose. In the other bed lie Tifa with her back against Sephiroth's chest and his arms wrapped tightly around her. The children turned a curious eye one another, not really knowing what to think.

They said nothing as they got dressed, but the sight of Tifa with Sephiroth was a little weird to them, so Marlene thought it best to wake her. Creeping up to her side, Marlene nudged her arm just enough to stir her.

Tifa's eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep. "What's the matter?"

"We're hungry." Was her pitiful excuse; Marlene and Denzel were clever enough to go to the guest dining room by themselves, but they wanted Tifa to get up.

"Alright…give me a minute." Tifa murmured, her eyes slipping closed again. She yawned heavily and carefully lifted Sephiroth's arms off of her and pulled herself up. "Let me change my clothes and I'll be out in a moment." She grabbed her backpack and stumbled into the bathroom.

Sephiroth woke up momentarily, his own yawn sounding like a roar to the children's ears. He stretched his arms above his head, before sitting upright. He blinked a few times before smiling at Denzel.

"Goodmorning."

"Hi." Denzel crossed his arms. He wasn't sure why he felt strangely about Tifa cuddling with Sephiroth, but it somewhat disturbed him.

"Is Tifa in the bathroom?"

"Yeah."

"Come here." Sephiroth waved them over. "So what do you suggest I do? I mean about Tifa's birthday tomorrow…"

Marlene got an odd look on her face and she was about to say something to Denzel, but he spoke before she could.

"You should give her a present."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, something meaningful. Do something to make her feel special."

"Something to make her feel special…I'll have to give it some thought." Sephiroth patted his head and stood up. "Should I say it was your idea?"

Denzel shook his head. "No! It's gotta be all yours."

Then Tifa emerged from the bathroom. "What're you guys whispering about?"

"Nothing!" Marlene chirped happily, "We were just telling Sephiroth that we're going to wait in the hallway!" She grabbed Denzel's hand towed him outside.

Tifa raised an eyebrow at them as they skipped past her and then she looked up at Sephiroth who only shrugged.

Once outside, Marlene whispered, "What are you doing, Denzel? Isn't this the same as helping the enemy? What about Cloud? Sephiroth can't outdo him."

"Yeah…" Denzel scratched the back of his head, "…but it's hopeless to think Cloud and Tifa will ever get married. He doesn't even act like she's around half the time. But Sephiroth does. Cloud's my dad, but that doesn't mean that my mom can't be with someone else."

"I guess. But you like him, so that helps too, right?"

"Yeah."

Then Tifa and Sephiroth emerged from the room.

"Alright, are you ready for breakfast?" Tifa asked brightly, no trace of sleep left on her face.

"Yeah!" The children grabbed her hands and tugged her down the hall.

Sephiroth was about follow but he paused, turning back toward the rows of rooms down the hall. Next door their room was Vincent's and inside, lay his mother. He was about to go knock at the door to see if they were awake, but he stopped when Tifa called out to him. Tossing her a smile, he turned away from the door and they continued down to the dining room.

Vincent sat on the side of the bed, gazing at Lucretia. He wondered when she'd wake, feeling somewhat anxious to talk to her. The night had been long, and he'd not slept a moment of it. He'd been watching over his beloved until long after sunrise, hoping that her eyes would open.

In a moment of despair, Vincent finally stood and started for the door. But as he was about to turn the knob, he heard her move. Excitement roused in his chest and he hurried back to her side. He was just in time to see her marvelous brown eyes slowly open.

Lucretia's vision was foggy, as she'd not opened her eyes in almost thirty years. She stared upward at the ceiling, trying to make sense of where she was. The room she was in was painted a warm sandy color, inviting and soothing, and she breathed in sharply through her nose, smelling the sweet aroma of sandalwood and spices. Beneath her she felt the softness of cotton, and slowly she spread her fingers over the sheets at her sides.

"Lucretia." A wonderfully familiar voice whispered her name and she shifted her gaze toward him.

The figure was still blurry, but she did not doubt who he was. "Vincent." She whispered breathily, the very act of speaking was strange to her, having not truly spoken in so long.

"Lucretia…I feared you'd wake." He took her hand and squeezed her fingers.

"Where are we, Vincent?"

"Costa Del Sol. We're bringing you home with us."

"Where is home?" She closed her eyes again as he stroked her hair.

"Edge, the city built around Midgar."

"And Sephiroth?"

"He's here; they're staying in the next room." Vincent leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"I want to see him." Lucretia opened her eyes again, this time deciding to try standing up. She first rose into a sitting position, then, with Vincent's help, slowly stood. Her legs felt stiff and unstable, but she forced them to work. "Let's go, Vincent." She grasped his arm and he helped her to the door.

They started out slowly, shuffling their way into the hall. Once they locked the door behind them, Vincent tapped on the room adjacent. There was no answer. He knocked several more times, but nothing.

"Let's try the dining room." He suggested, but Lucretia anchored herself to the spot. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid."

"Don't be…he's waited his entire life to meet you. Come." He coaxed her toward the stairs, both of them easing down each step, one by one.

Once they'd made it to the bottom, there were just a few more stiff steps to the glass doors of the inn's restaurant. Vincent did not rush her, he let her take all the time she needed, knowing full well how hard it is to get going when you've lain dormant for so long.

There weren't many people in the dining area, but there were enough that they had to look around for a moment before Vincent spotted Tifa. Lucretia, however saw Sephiroth first, a spark of excitement lit up her core. The strength suddenly came back to her legs and she walked a bit easier toward their table.

Tifa and the children were stunned to see her up so soon and Sephiroth felt almost paralyzed when he sensed her behind him.

"Sephiroth…" She breathed as she stood behind him.

He turned around and looked up at her. All coherent thought left him and all emotion took its place. He stared up at her with wide eyes, feeling almost like a child. He wanted to cry and laugh, but he held it all down as he shifted in his seat, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close against him. Lucretia hunched over him, pulling his head to her breast and, for the first time since his birth, she finally got to hold her son.

"Mother." He whispered softly, just loud enough for her hear.

Tifa's eyes watered at the sight and she unconsciously put her arms around Marlene and Denzel, bringing them close to her sides. The emotion she felt was mutual to the children as they hugged her back tightly, understanding completely what it's like to be without parents and letting their imagination run with what it must feel like for the parent to be without a child.

* * *

**I wanted the title of this chapter to kind of have a triple meaning; Lucretia awakening, Tifa realizing she should be with Sephiroth, and Denzel starting to get the idea that Cloud and Tifa are never getting together. Also I wish I hadn't been under so much stress at the time of writing this chapter. I've lost my job, so I'm struggling right now and I feel like my writing is suffering for it, but hopefully things will turn out fine; for me and for this story. **


	23. Chapter XXIII: Nothing But The Truth

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

* * *

**Change of Heart **

**Chapter XXIII: Nothing But The Truth**

Lucretia wanted to hold Sephiroth forever, but could feel many eyes on her. Assuming they were creating a scene, she lifted herself from him and took a seat in the chair at his side. Looking across the table, she saw Tifa with her children and smiled warmly, taking in their sweet faces. The girl looked so much like her mother, but the boy was different. His hair was similar in color to her own and he had green eyes like Sephiroth.

_Are these my grandchildren?_ Her heart became so warm, so full.

Tifa leaned over the table and put her hand out to shake Lucretia's. "Hello, my name is Tifa."

"So nice to meet you, Tifa. My name is Lucretia."

"And these are my children, Marlene and Denzel."

"Marlene and Denzel, perfect names for perfect little children." Lucretia complimented as she shook hands with each child.

Sephiroth suddenly felt like his life had finally come together. He finally had his mother back and he had the chance to catch up and take back a stolen chunk of his life. He wanted to start now, but his stomach protested for the moment.

"So what's for breakfast?" Lucretia chirped, opening up her menu and suddenly realizing just how long it had been since she'd eaten.

"Anything you want." Sephiroth assured as he opened his menu.

"There's so much to choose from." She unconsciously tapped her chin as she scanned down the array of choices before her. "Ooh! I want steak and eggs!"

"Oh, that sounds great, I'll have that too." Tifa said as she sat her menu down.

It became a mutual consensus for the adults, as they all ended up ordering the same thing, while the children were happy with buttery waffles.

As they dug into their hearty breakfasts, Lucretia kept her eye upon Tifa. She took note of how incredibly lovely she was, and how ladylike she behaved. She was almost doll like in her beauty, her posture was straight, and she ate in the most proper way. Even the children mirrored their mother in their behavior. Lucretia was proud of her son for finding such a woman and having a lovely family. Once she'd finished observing her new daughter, she finally turned her gaze to Sephiroth. He was so handsome, just as she knew he would be. He too was very eloquent and gentlemanly, making her all the more proud. He seemed strong and powerful, just the type of man that Tifa needs to protect her.

"So how long have the two of you been married?" Lucretia asked out of the blue.

It took everyone by surprise. They all simultaneously paused, not knowing how to react to the question. Lucretia herself didn't notice this and continued to eat. Vincent looked past her at Sephiroth and nodded at him as if telling him not to keep her waiting.

"M-mother…" Sephiroth stammered, trying to comprehend what she was thinking, "…Tifa and I are not married…We're not even dating."

This time it was Lucretia's turn to pause in shock. It was almost comical how her eyes flared and the chunk of beef she'd been chewing went neglected. She promptly, though unintentionally, swallowed it whole, chasing it down with a huge gulp of her orange juice. Once she'd replaced the glass upon the table and caught her breath, she looked back up to Tifa.

"I'm sorry. I-I understood that you'd shared a room…and with the children, I just assumed…" She then she realized that, in regards to the kids, Tifa had said _my_ children and not _our_ children.

"Don't apologize," Tifa soothed, "no harm done. Sephiroth only just moved in with us about two months ago. And while we're still getting to know one another, I feel like we're starting to take our friendship to the next level." It might seem a strange thing to stay in front of his mother, but this comment coaxed a smile from Sephiroth's grave face.

Lucretia couldn't help but be relieved at this. Most mother's would cringe at the thought, but she already liked Tifa and was hoping that was already completely involved with Sephiroth.

"Oh, I see…I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed. I was hoping that I was a grandmother." Her gaze fell once again on the children.

"Lucretia…" Vincent clutched at her shoulder, but she shrugged his hand away, taking it in her own and interlacing her fingers with his.

"I'm sorry." Tifa felt terrible this time.

"No; it's my fault for assuming anything. Let's change the subject. So how did you two meet?"

Vincent face-palmed and Sephiroth nearly choked.

Tifa rescued everyone by making up, not a really a lie, but embellishing the truth – or more accurately, leaving out key details. She explained how her childhood friend, Cloud had joined Soldier, and Sephiroth was his commanding officer, eventually becoming his friend. She told about how they'd had a feud and during their latest standoff, Sephiroth had been bested by Cloud, being wounded. Tifa took pity on him and since he had no place to really go, she let him live at her house. It seemed a good enough story to please both Sephiroth and Vincent, and they were willing to go along with it and keep their lips sealed to the truth. Lucretia, being none the wiser, was also satisfied with this explanation, thinking that it further made Tifa appear saintly.

As soon as breakfast was over, Marlene and Denzel wanted to go down to the beach. They hadn't brought along bathing suits, but Tifa felt it was alright to buy them some new ones. It was the off season since it was already October, so most of the shops had cut their prices and also the beaches would be a lot less crowded than normal.

Once at the water, Tifa warned them not to go out too far and took up a seat on one of the sun chairs. Though it was fall already, this place was still so warm and sunny…so very unlike the weather in Edge, where it always seemed rainy and cold. Kicking back and breathing in the salty air, she felt her stomach bubble with elation.

"I could spend the rest of my life here." She sighed to the wind.

Meanwhile, Vincent had left the group to their fun and got some missed shuteye, leaving Lucretia and Sephiroth to do some more catching up. Mother and son walked arm in arm along the beach, trying to center on the best thing to talk about. Both of them were rolling with questions, but deciding on the best one to start with was a chore.

"This place is beautiful." Lucretia finally said, looking out over the blue ocean.

Sephiroth only nodded in agreement. He was trying to think of what he wanted to say, but it wasn't coming out. Finally, he shoved down the awful feeling in his stomach and spat it out, "Mother, why did you give me up for an experiment?"

Lucretia had dreaded that he'd bring that up. She remained silent for a few steps before speaking, "Sephiroth, don't think that I don't love you. But the truth is that when I found out I was pregnant, I was very, very scared. At the time I was married, but I was also involved with Vincent."

"Yes, he told me about that."

"But I…I wasn't sure who your father was and I was so afraid of my husband. And at the time I wasn't sure if I even wanted to have a baby; it just seemed like a burden. I had my friend Gast do a DNA test to see who your father was, and it was my husband. But when he found out that I'd been seeing another man, Hojo became convinced that you were Vincent's. He talked me into using you for the Jenova Project, saying that he'd kill Vincent if I didn't cooperate."

"But he tried to kill him anyway."

"Yes." She clutched his arm. "Sephiroth, I'm so sorry. I should've been a better mother…"

"Stop saying you're sorry." He halted, pulling her close to him. "You've got nothing to be ashamed of. You are the most wonderful mother I could ever hope to have. So please stop trying to apologize for whatever sin you think you committed; because there is none."

Forcing a smile upon her lips, Lucretia was quick to change the subject. "So tell me about the children." She tugged on his arm to start him walking again.

"Marlene and Denzel are great kids."

"They're Tifa's?"

"She adopted them. She's actually quite young; just old enough to have a child Marlene's age, but still too young to have mothered Denzel. Marlene is six, Denzel will be turning ten soon." Sephiroth explained, "Tifa's in fact only 23, but she's very mature."

"How did she come across them?"

"From what I understand, Marlene is actually the daughter of her friend Barret; she just cares for her in his absence, but she calls herself the girl's mother. Denzel, on the other hand, is completely orphaned. Cloud saved him from dying on the streets, and since he and Tifa had taken him in."

"She really is a remarkable girl isn't she?"

"Yeah." He averted his gaze.

Lucretia sensed his discomfort. Guiding him to a petrified log that sat upon small sandy dune, she sat them down and held his hand close to her heart. "I wasn't going to bring it up to Vincent, but I will ask you. A couple of years ago, when Vincent found my cave…I asked him what had become of you."

"What did he say?" Sephiroth's nerves made his stomach tremble, anticipating what she was going to say.

"He told me that you'd died." Her fingertips found their way to her lips and she looked as if she was about to be ill. "Now, why would he say something like that? Unless he was trying to protect me from something?"

"I don't understand what you mean. Weren't we just talking about Tifa and the kids?"

"Yes, but there's a barrier between the two of you. I want to know why you're afraid to tell her that you love her."

"Whatever gave you that impression? I'm not afraid; I'm just waiting for the right time."

She just gave him a dubious look and raised an eyebrow. "I'm your mother, Sephiroth. I've noticed all morning that something's bothering you."

He could tell that he probably couldn't get past her. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Tifa lying in the sun…looking beautiful. "Mother…" He scoffed under his breath, "…Tifa was covering for me. When she told you about how we came to know each other, she neglected to tell you how it really happened."

"What do you mean?" She reached over and cupped his cheek, gently turning his face back to hers.

"Mother…I'm a murderer." He felt it was best to just say it outright. "I've killed so many innocent people."

"Oh, sweetheart. You were a Soldier, you went to war. There's no guilt in that."

Releasing an exasperated breath Sephiroth continued, "Tifa and I didn't meet because her childhood friend wounded me. We met because I was sent on an assignment to inspect a malfunctioning reactor in Nibelheim. We met when I hired her to guide us up the mountain. But when I was there, I discovered Jenova and in doing research in the labs beneath the Manor, I also uncovered a distorted truth of myself. I came to believe that the alien was my mother. And I became so enraged at humankind for a betrayal they never really committed. I took it all out on the town and destroyed everything." He had since turned away from her again, but looked back into her widened eyes. "In doing so, I slaughtered everyone who lived there, including Cloud's mother and…and Tifa's father…"

Lucretia clasped her hand over her mouth and closed her eyes, a single sparkling tear rolled down her cheek. "Sephiroth…"

"But that wasn't the end. I had this false belief that if I opened a massive wound in the Planet, that I could expose the Lifestream and join with it, becoming a god. So I called upon Meteor to do it. I almost succeeded, but Cloud and Tifa, along with their friends…Vincent included…came to stop me. Among them was a girl, _Aerith_…the lover of one of my subordinates. I'd never met her; knowing her only by what I'd been told of her. She was a Cetra…the last of her kind. She used her magic Holy to destroy Meteor, but as she was praying, I drew my sword and took her life."

Lucretia said nothing, she only listened. She silently wept, trying to maintain control of herself whilst her tears flooded down her face. She still held his hands with her trembling fingers, her body too, quivering with fear and sadness.

"It is her death that haunts me more than any other. I've killed many people, the casualties of Nibelheim were random; I cut down anyone who stood in my way. But the girl…hers was the only premeditated murder I'd ever committed. She wasn't just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I went to the Forgotten Capital to seek her out, my intent perfectly clear."

Sephiroth felt so numb as he spoke. He was aware of the guilt that boiled inside of him, but at that moment he wasn't sure if he could feel it. It was like he'd been drugged, perhaps even hypnotized as he told the story. He waited for her to speak, but she didn't. All he could hear was her hushed breathing as she tried to hold back the impending sob that threatened to rip through her lips.

At length, Lucretia pulled her hand from her mouth and placed it on her chest, feeling her heart beat. She counted each awful throb, trying to slow it the best she could. But hearing her own son confess to something so awful was just too much. It hurt the most to hear him talk about Aerith…especially because she knew the girl's father, her friend, Dr. Gast. She'd seen Aerith as a baby, and even met her mother, with whom she'd hoped to become better acquainted. Now, to hear Sephiroth tell her he'd murdered her in cold blood was for lack of a better word, unbearable.

"And now?" Lucretia released a mousey squeak. "What do you do with your life?"

"I'm an apprentice bartender. Tifa is teaching me how to mix drinks and such."

"How did you really come to live with her?"

"I returned from the dead."

This alarmed her and she flinched, but she remained silent.

"I became a spirit in the Lifestream and when I couldn't manifest a body for myself, I created three separate being to do my bidding. They set out collect the remains of Jenova and in doing so, a battle ensued between them and Cloud. Attempt to defeat him, one of them took the rest of her remains into himself and therefore opened a gateway for me step through. With Jenova's added power, I was finally able to create a physical body and came back to life."

"Th-that sounds outrageous!" She breathed.

"Perhaps. The power that I had gained from her was soon spent and Cloud won the battle. He wanted to finish me but, Tifa somehow found it in her heart to take me in. To redeem myself in her eyes, I swore to be forever at her side and protect her for the rest of our lives. It was an oath I was more than pleased to make. We'd had a deep conversation prior to my vow, and it was in those moments that I had fallen in love with her, but I hadn't realized it until later."

"She forgave you for what you did?"

"I don't know if she really did. But she's attempting to it to rest and forget it ever happened."

"But you can't?"

"How can I? Memories of it haunt me forever, though I try not to dwell on it. I really am sorry for everything I did."

"Then…let us speak of more pleasant things."

"Wait, you aren't afraid of me?" He peered into her eyes, still red and glistening with tears.

Lucretia wrapped her arms around him, drawing close to his side and kissed his cheek. "How can I fear my own child? I love you so, so much, Sephiroth. We've all done terrible things in our lives, things that we regret and wish to change, but can't. But, we can learn from those mistakes and make our futures better, yes?"

"That sounds like something Tifa would say." He managed to smile through the numb pain.

"Then Tifa is indeed very, very wise."


	24. Chapter XXIV: Regaining Balance

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXIV: Regaining Balance**

Vincent kept his distance from Lucretia, desiring her to focus her attention upon Sephiroth and not himself. But he felt his cold dead heart spring back to life at the sight of her walking along the beach, the clear blue waves crashing delicately at her ankles. She held up her silky white skirt with one hand and held her shoes in the other. The wind blew her hair into tangles and the sun shined on her glistening porcelain skin. Sephiroth stood a distance from her, he too watching her, admiring her. She called out to him, but they were too far away for Vincent to hear what they were saying. But they were smiling, clearly enjoying their time together.

He wanted to be down there with her, but he did not want Sephiroth to think he was trying to steal her away. But the desire he had for Lucretia was too real; he loved her, and wished to be forever at her side. It was a wish he'd had since he first laid eyes on her. But Professor Hojo and Lucretia's own guilt over the death of his father stood between them.

But…perhaps now, they could put those old doubts and guilt to rest; perhaps now they could freely love each other without pain and regret.

Withdrawing from the window, Vincent finally retired for some much needed rest.

Down on the beach, Lucretia coaxed Sephiroth back to her side once she realized she'd left him several feet behind her.

"Come on, slowpoke!" She called out to him with a laugh.

Sephiroth had fallen behind due to pausing in the sand, so that he might watch her continue up the water's wake, taking in the view of her; wanting to preserve it forever in his mind as he was afraid a happy moment like this would never come again, afraid that he was dreaming it. But she'd called him from his reverie, bringing him back to reality and letting him realize it was no dream.

He rushed up to her, taking her outstretched hand and they turned back toward where Tifa sat watching the children.

Not much more was said between them; both of them just enjoyed the wind and the sun, and the smell of the salty ocean.

Lucretia was happy that Sephiroth confessed the truth of his past to her, that he trusted her with such knowledge. But at the same time her own guilt ebbed away at her. She had said it was best to push those old regrets back and look forward, but it was easier said than done. Looking up toward the inn where Vincent lie resting, she still felt responsible for his father's death and felt the agony of breaking Vincent's heart all over again.

"Mother, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, sweetie." She looked back at Sephiroth and smiled. "I was just daydreaming."

Tifa looked up to see Sephiroth and Lucretia approaching. She was happy for their smiles and knew that this was the most defining moment for Sephiroth, and he'd passed the trial with flying colors. It was a fear that she and Vincent both had, that Sephiroth might've snapped again when he saw his mother, but it only served to give him all the more reason to become a better person.

When they came up to her, Sephiroth flopped down on the sand beside her and nudged her arm. Tifa giggled at him and scooted closer, letting him know it was alright to cuddle if he wanted to. Accepting her silent admittance, Sephiroth leaned in closer to her and nuzzled her cheek before planting a soft kiss upon the area just below her ear. Tifa turned her face in toward his and only smiled.

"How was your visit with your mom?" She whispered breathily.

"It couldn't have been better." He replied as he pushed her hair behind her ear, stroking it a few more times before letting his hand fall to the earth. "Tifa…when we go home tomorrow, there's something I want to give you."

"What is it?" She asked intrigued.

"It's a surprise." He whispered in her ear as he turned his attention toward the children in the water.

Tifa's hair stood on end and her heart skipped a beat. "They still haven't gotten tired yet." She said as she stretched her arms high above her head. "But I'm starting to feel sleepy. Perhaps I've gotten too much sun."

Sephiroth didn't reply, he only smiled once more and enjoyed the moment.

Lucretia stood a few feet behind them, watching the exchange with fascination. It was surreal how one day she went to sleep knowing that her son was still just a baby, and waking up the next day to find that 30 years had passed, and he was grown and falling in love with a wonderful young woman. A part of her wished that he was still a child and that she could coddle him and keep him close to her for a while before he was big enough to walk on his own…But at the same time she was so proud to see the handsome, strong, man he'd become. She was glad that she'd just barely missed the dark days of his life and awakened when the sun was beginning to rise. He was glorious and she was so proud to say she'd given him life.

_This girl, Tifa…she is something special…_

When the children had finally grown tired and hungry, Lucretia was glad to see that it was Sephiroth who took them to find food, as she'd wanted to have a moment with Tifa.

Approaching her swiftly, she tapped her shoulder, "Tifa? Might I have a word?"

"Oh, of course." Tifa rose from her seat and accompanied Lucretia back along the same path she'd taken with Sephiroth.

"Tifa, I hear nothing but great things about you from Sephiroth. He's quite enamored with you." Lucretia explained with a cheeky grin.

"Oh…I…" Tifa was a bit speechless when it came to talking to her, though she wasn't quite sure why. It seemed silly, but having a conversation with Sephiroth's mother…She shook her head.

"You know he told me the truth." Lucretia's smile faded.

"The truth?"

"About your history together."

Tifa stopped dead. She was staring at the ground, not wanting to look at Lucretia's face. Swallowing the hard lump in her throat, she finally spoke. "Did he tell you that he killed my father?"

"He did and your friend, Aerith."

Tifa's lip trembled at the memories, but she sniffed back the tears and looked her in the eye. "I bore him so much hatred for what he did. I hated him all the way up until just a couple of months ago."

"What changed?"

"We changed." Tifa walked up to where Lucretia stopped and they continued along their path. "I found it in my heart to let him live and to attempt to forgive him. And he swore to never abandon me and protect me and my children for the rest of our lives." She shook her head again. "I don't know what happened, but when he woke up, there was something different about him; like all the evil that tainted his soul had vanished. I…I know it sounds silly."

"No." Lucretia smirked as she too felt as though she would cry. "It's not silly at all. People's hearts can change as easily as the seasons."

"Do you really think it's that easy to have a change of heart?"

"I suppose it depends on the person. But I know that Sephiroth is sorry for everything he's ever done to make you sad. I know that all he wants now is to do right by you. There's no question, at least in my mind, that he cares about you more than anyone in the world…even more than _me_." She put her arm around Tifa's shoulders. "The mystery here is how you feel about Sephiroth."

"I…" Tifa hung her head, this time watching the clear ripples of water sparkling in the sunlight. Her thoughts wandered around briefly before returning to the moment. "I'm in love with Cloud. Or…at least I _was_. But now I'm not so sure. We haven't been friendly for long, but I'm already able to trust him with secrets that I was able to tell Cloud. There's just something about him. His kisses are even more wonderful than Cloud's could ever be…He's demanded nothing more than what I've been willing to give, and no matter what I've said or how I've behaved, he's never judged me or pushed me away…" She sniveled and felt her lip quivering again.

"Do you love Sephiroth?"

Tifa looked back up into her eyes, her own glistening with tears, "…_Yes_…"

"Then you should tell him."

"When…and how?"

"When you're ready and in your own words."

The women trekked back to the spot at the beach chairs were Sephiroth and the children were enjoying some chili fries. Sephiroth looked over his shoulder and stood up to meet them, only for his bright smile to fade away at the sight of Tifa's tears.

"Tifa, are you alright?" He took her face in his hands, wiping her cheeks with his soft fingers. "Mother, what did you do?" Anger flared in his eyes as he clutched Tifa to his chest and let her hide her face in his neck. He stared Lucretia down, the dark energy that remained in him surfaced only for a brief second, but it was enough to make her take a step back.

"She didn't do anything to me, Sephiroth." Tifa defended. "We were just talking." She cupped his jaw, making him look into her eyes and she smiled. "I'm crying because I'm happy…We were talking about wonderful things and I got emotional." She giggled through the tears.

"Tifa…" This time, he couldn't tell if she was lying. With a kiss to her forehead and another tight squeeze, he released her and turned back to Lucretia. "I'm sorry, Mother. It just alarms me to see Tifa cry."

"I undersand." Lucretia nodded as she touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry too."

Nothing more was said on the matter as they joined the children for their afternoon snack. A junky, yet lovely array of sodas, chili cheese fries, and a large pizza filled the chair they huddled around. It was heaven for the children but Tifa had to make a mental note about buying some medicine for upset tummies later. But even she dug into the savory mess and enjoyed some extra cheese on everything. Lucretia was also eager to try a bite and soon found herself in possession of two large slices of pizza and her own small basket of fries. Of course Sephiroth got it all with both women in mind, but they still felt a little piggish with their fair share.

"We should save some for Vincent." Sephiroth suggested as he shoved his untouched basket of fries in with the last slice of pizza and closed the box, placing a soda can on top of it. "You two aren't to touch this!" He warned Marlene and Denzel as they eyeballed the leftovers.

"What if we were to forget?" Marlene asked nonchalantly, though her eyes glistened with mischief.

"I'd advise against it." Tifa said, picking up the box and placing it on Lucretia's lap.

"I'll take it to him now; I'm getting a bit tired any way." Lucretia said suddenly as she got to her feet. "I think I'll go up for a nap. Call for me if you need me."

"Oh, alright." Sephiroth nodded in approval as she took the pizza box and headed back to the inn.

"Is she alright?" Tifa asked, hoping she didn't upset her for any reason.

"Yes." Sephiroth smiled, his eyes continuing to watch his mother as she disappeared from view. "I think she just wants to spend some time with _someone else_ she loves."

Tifa just nodded in understanding and scooted closer to Sephiroth. "I hope they can make it work this time around."

"As do I." He put his arm around her and let her lean into his chest as he placed a delicate kiss in her hair.

Marlene and Denzel decided to pretend that they didn't notice. It was a little strange to both of them, to see their mom be lovey-dovey with a man – even with Cloud it would be strange – considering she'd never had a romantic relationship while they were around. But at the same time, they were both glad that she was happy; they'd never seen her really smile until Sephiroth came around, and this knowledge relaxed them.

At the inn, Lucretia crept quietly back into the room, finding Vincent sleeping on the bed nearest the window. Placing the pizza box on the table, she slowly padded up to him. He looked so peaceful, like he was having wondrous dreams. But Lucretia wondered if this was a fact. He appeared comfortable at least, that much was probably true, and she longed to join him. So she went around the opposite side of the bed and gently climbed in, folding the sheets back over her and cuddling against Vincent's back.

She'd yearned to do this for so many years, hoping that one day she'd be able to touch him again. She was afraid to admit it to herself, how much she desperately loved him, and now with everything out in the open, there was nothing else standing in her way.

Placing her arm over his chest, she found that he was shirtless; of course he'd taken clothes off to sleep…but she'd not considered it. Cuddling into his chest, she tried to be careful not to wake him, but it seemed this effort was in vain as he rolled toward her and put his arms around her.

"I was hoping you'd join me." Vincent purred, his deep ghostly voice vibrating in her ear.

"I couldn't resist." Lucretia caressed his cheek before she kissed him.

He pulled her in closer, responding favorably to her advance. There was so much that needed to be said between them, but at that moment it was better to remain silent and let their bodies do the talking.

* * *

**If anyone's wondering, there is no lemon version of this chapter...sadly...but for those of you pervs (like myself XD), there will be a TifaXSeph scene in the near future. **


	25. Chapter XXV: More Than Friends

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Alright everyone, sorry again for the delay...I've gone through getting hired and fired and getting an interview all in one week, so I've been one busy bee lately. But things are starting to look up. One again I apologize for the late update. **

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXV: More Than Friends**

"We're heading back to Edge today; we'll be back tomorrow morning." Vincent whispered through the semidarkness.

"Should we start getting ready to leave?" Lucretia asked softly, not wishing to get up from his side.

They'd been in bed for hours and they were still not ready to get up. The feel of one another's body, the smell of their breath, and the taste of their kisses…Both of them had been dreaming of it for decades, almost forgetting what it was like.

"Not quite yet."

Vincent rolled her onto her back and relaxed comfortably on top of her, pushing his arm behind her head, and brushed her bangs back with his free hand. He gazed into her eyes, drinking in her beauty.

"Vincent," She whispered against his lips, "do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"I want to hear you say it."

"I love you." It was liberating to say it out loud, not having to worry if any one heard him.

"I love you too, Vincent."

"Lucretia…" He breathed, but said nothing more as he took her lips again. He couldn't get enough of her, having been denied her for so long. There just wasn't enough time in the world for him to get all he wanted of her…all he needed. But these few moments were enough, he supposed.

Lucretia arched her body into his, as if trying to become one with him. She'd loved him since they met and even though they'd been together this way before, they still couldn't _be_ _together_. Sliding her hands into his raven hair, she kept him close, savoring this kiss and deciding at that moment that this would not be last they shared, but one of many still to come.

Parting for only a moment, Vincent was struck with the most wonderful idea he could think of. It was a risk to ask it of her, but given that there was nothing now to stand between them, he felt it was now or never.

"Lucretia, I really do love you. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. Do you want it too?"

"Yes, Vincent." Her heart was suddenly very heavy within her chest, but it was a good sort of weight. "I don't want to be parted from you again."

"Then will you marry me?" His heart was in this throat as he asked, but again, it was liberating to say it.

"Vincent…I…" She was speechless, overwhelmed by so much inexorable elation, "…Yes…yes, let's get married."

Tossing her arms around his neck, she seized his mouth again; he lifted up into a sitting position, taking her with him and holding her tightly against him. Their bodies joined together again, becoming one physically and spiritually. Their love ignited a burning that began in their hearts and slowly ran down to their loins before raging through their veins and engulfing them entirely. Theirs was a love that was unbreakable; so much had stood between them, so much suffering and heart ache, and despite it all, they remained bound and loyal to one another even after decades of separation.

In the next room, Tifa was busy making sure all their stuff was packed up and ready to go. Sephiroth was making sure the children were getting their baths and doing his best to keep sand from getting everywhere. That was the only catch about going to the beach, getting clean of it was a pain. Since neither he nor Tifa had gone into the water, it was easier for them to be rid of it, but the children were another matter. Marlene's hair had gotten tangled and Denzel was covered in dry mud, but after soaking in hot water for almost an hour, both of them were finally rid of the salty sand that coated them.

Marlene's hair was still tangled though, and Tifa was a bit perturbed that she'd not taken care and left it braided. But in the end the girl sat quietly on the bed while Tifa did her best to comb it out.

"What am I going to do with you?" Tifa teased playfully, though there was still a little frustration evident in her voice.

"I'm sorry." Marlene whimpered.

"Next time keep your hair braided."

Sephiroth's mouth turned up in a little smirk as he watched them. He loved to see Tifa mothering her children like this. It was probably his favorite view of her. He adored how she was firm yet still so tender with them.

_I wonder if we might ever have a child together. _He wondered dreamily as he turned his attention to Denzel, who sat beside him, looking like he was about to fall over to sleep.

"Don't go falling asleep now." He cooed softly as the boy slumped against his shoulder. They'd played hard that morning, so it was not surprise at all that they were sleepy.

"I'm _not_ falling asleep." Denzel slurred his retort, following up with a big yawn.

Sephiroth just put his arm around him, not worrying in the least if he wanted to nap.

"You really shouldn't let him fall asleep." Tifa said as she braided up Marlene's hair. "We'll be leaving in a few minutes."

"He'll be alright." Sephiroth assured her, flashing her a handsome grin.

Tifa blushed as she adjusted Marlene's ribbon. "There you go. And don't let it come down again; if you're going to keep long hair, you need to take care of it."

"Yes ma'am." Marlene replied sullenly.

"Now don't pout." Tifa smiled and pulled her into a hug. "We can come back in the summer." She turned her attention back to Sephiroth. "We should get going."

"Right, I'll go tell Vincent." But as he got up, there was a knock at the door. "Speak of the devil." He muttered as he opened the door to find both Vincent and Lucretia in the hall.

"Are you ready?" Vincent inquired as he as he entered the room.

"Yes, I was just about to come tell you."

"Alright then, we will wait out here for you."

"We'll be out in a moment."

Returning inside, he hastily went to the bed where Denzel lay. The poor thing wasn't waking up any time soon. Sephiroth made an awkward face at Tifa, who only shook her head and grabbed her backpack, leading Marlene out into the hall. Sephiroth lifted Denzel into his arms and carried him out.

The ship ride again was much shorter a trip than had been estimated, as they'd yet again arrived ahead of schedule. They'd spent the entire ride sleeping, so it seemed to go by even quicker. Even with the shuttle ride back to the city, they still made it home by three o'clock in the morning.

The street was silent and black, lit only by a single light that hung below the angel statue. The bar too was still, and everyone felt compelled to be quiet, even though Cloud was gone so there was no one to risk waking. Both children were asleep now, so Tifa and Sephiroth carried them carefully up to bed.

"I can't believe they slept through the entire ride home." Tifa uttered softly as she tucked Marlene under her sheets.

"They're resilient little things. They could sleep through anything." Sephiroth replied, ruffling Denzel's hair. He remembered the first time he tucked him in, how he sensed that the boy had been ill. It pulled at his heart as he thought about it again. He couldn't believe he was nearly the death of this child, whom he'd come to love so dearly.

"Sephiroth?" Tifa approached him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" He turned, wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her closer to him. "I'm just tired, dear." He kissed her cheek delicately before pushing her toward the door. "Come on, let's go get Mother settled."

They returned down to the bar, finding Vincent holding up Lucretia, who slumped tiredly against his chest.

"Listen, the two of you can take my bed. My room is at the end of the hall." Sephiroth offered.

"Where will you sleep?" Lucretia yawned, struggling to stay awake.

"Don't worry; I will manage." Sephiroth looked to Tifa who only grinned.

"I see." Lucretia reached out to give Sephiroth a kiss on the cheek and patted his shoulder. "Good night, sweetheart."

Vincent nodded, "Goodnight." Before taking Lucretia's hand and showing her to the stairs.

Tifa sighed heavily, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to her right leg. "So, I assume you'll be taking my bed with me?"

"Do you mind? If it bothers you I can take the couch." Sephiroth assured her.

"No, I want you to sleep with me." She blushed as she realized how it sounded.

"Is that so?" Sephiroth's eyes shined with mischief.

"N..no…I mean..." She was suddenly flustered, unable to redeem her words.

"Hush." He placed a finger on her lips to silence her. "I know what you meant."

When they retired, Sephiroth and Tifa did not realize until they were already lying down that they were in fact alone together. Alone and in _bed_…It was almost too perfect. The temptation was almost irresistible. As they lie there in the semidarkness, they were all too aware of how close they were to one another, how awake they were, and how they wouldn't be disturbed for a few hours.

Of course they'd slept in the same bed together at the inn, but being at home and without the children in the same room felt positively sinful…in a good way. Tifa lie against Sephiroth's chest and his arms were tight around her. They were nearly nose to nose, on their sides, and they could almost see each other's faces in the dark. With barely two inches distance between their faces, it was very easy for one of them to seize the other's lips; and considering that all that stood between their bodies was nothing more than a couple of thin layers of fabric, it was so easy to cast it aside.

But both of them were worried about how having sex might destroy their relationship. Of course, they'd made it past "just friends" and are now comfortable enough to at least kiss, but there was still a level of doubt that crept into their minds. Sephiroth remembered what he'd initially thought about how sex can cheapen a relationship. He could not deny that he desired her…in fact, _desire_ was an understatement. He craved her, hungered for her; he wanted her so badly he thought he'd lose his mind all over again, but he couldn't bring himself to take the chance at ruining what they have. At least he couldn't take the risk _yet_.

Brushing her hair back behind her shoulder, Sephiroth did in fact close the distance between them, but only pulled Tifa in for a delicate kiss on the forehead and let her rest her head beneath his chin. Her cheek pressed softly against his collarbone and she listened to the resonating sound of his beating heart. A part of her was disappointed that he didn't initiate anything further than a tender, loving cuddle, but at the same time she was relieved. Though she'd confessed to Lucretia that she was in love with him, there was still uncertainty in her heart. She still had feelings for Cloud, but after realizing that her heart was left empty even after what she thought was supposed to be a meaningful encounter, her eyes were opened to the affection that Sephiroth had offered. But, Tifa was somewhat afraid that sleeping with Sephiroth would only prove what her night with Cloud did: that she would remain bereft of the fulfillment she sought no matter if she gave herself to him or not. But then there was a tremor of fear and excitement inside of her that wondered if having sex with Sephiroth would in fact have the opposite effect and prove that they were meant to be together after all. She knew not the exact reason why it frightened her to some small degree, but the reality of their history together was a good place to start. Perhaps it wasn't even their history at all; perhaps it had nothing to do with who it was, but the fact that she might actually have the experience of being loved by a man.

But it could wait.

For now, the both of them just held one another, safe in the knowledge that they _were_ friends at the very least, and for the time being were happy with it.


	26. Chapter XXVI: The Two Extremes

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXVI: The Two Extremes**

Lucretia was the second to wake, just following Tifa, who was busy straightening up downstairs.

"So this is your business?" Lucretia asked as she took a seat at the bar.

"This is my bar, Seventh Heaven." Tifa chirped brightly as she finished wiping down the counter. Putting the rag in the sink and washing her hands, she suddenly had a thought. "I was wondering, would you like to go shopping with me today?"

"I would love to."

"I was going to be leaving in a minute. I was thinking that we could go get you some new clothes while we were out."

"Oh, you don't have to." Lucretia insisted.

Tifa smiled and laughed, "Your white dress is very pretty, but you can't wear it forever."

Lucretia closed her eyes thoughtfully, "I suppose you're right. I just don't want to impose."

"You're not imposing, don't worry about it."

"Thank you, Tifa."

"Don't mention it; just let me go tell Sephiroth."

"Right, I should let Vincent know as well."

The women padded quietly upstairs, parting ways as soon as they reached the top. Tifa entered her room, finding Sephiroth still lying in bed. He wasn't asleep, having awakened just before she opened the door.

"Are you coming back to bed, sweetie?" He whispered, hoping she'd crawl back under the sheets with him.

"Actually I'm taking Lucretia out shopping." She rested on the side of the bed.

"Hmm...That sounds just like you. You took me shopping the day after I woke up too." He reached up and caressed her cheek, relishing how she leaned into his touch.

"Well, I can't expect her to wear the same dress every day…Besides, I thought this would be a good chance for us to get to know each other…if that's alright with you."

"Of course it's alright. Don't worry about it, take as long as you need; I'll watch the children." Sephiroth sat up and tossed his legs over the side of the bed.

"Thank you." Tifa gave him a peck on the cheek before going back downstairs.

Down the hall, Lucretia had entered the bedroom, where Vincent still slept. When she'd left the room that morning, it was dark and she'd not bothered to turn on a light, but now as the morning sun began to rise, she noticed the flower pots decorating the room.

"These are beautiful." She murmured softly, approaching a pot and noticed how it seemed to perk up at her presence. There a moment of understanding as Lucretia gazed at the beautiful flowers. She knew, beyond a doubt, that these flowers served as a reminder. She wasn't sure how she knew, but her feelings were seldom ever wrong.

"Those lilies belonged to a girl named Aerith." Vincent approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist. "She grew them in a church in Sector 5."

"Aerith…the girl he killed." Lucretia gently touched one of the petals.

"You know about that?"

"Sephiroth told me about it." She turned around in his embrace and kissed him lovingly. "Listen, do you mind if I go out with Tifa today?"

"No, have a good time." He took her close once more before releasing her. "I will be here when you come back."

Lucretia nodded, heading down stairs to meet with Tifa.

"This place is so different." Lucretia uttered with awe as they walked along the slowly lightening streets. "What happened here?"

Tifa just hung her head.

"Sephiroth did this too, huh?" Lucretia patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry my son caused you so much trouble."

"Don't apologize; it's not your fault." Tifa smiled though the invading memories and directed her to the first shop.

At the bar, Sephiroth busied himself preparing breakfast for the children. Vincent had found it pleasing to be among them, and decided that being a recluse was no longer necessary. Within a few minutes, the distinctive sound of a motorcycle hummed from the garage and Cloud entered promptly.

"Cloud!" Denzel jumped from his stool and ran into his arms. "You're back early!"

"Yeah, I'm finished for the week." He knelt down to the boy's level.

"Really?"

"Really." He hugged the boy tightly before rising up again. "I didn't have much to deliver, so I'll be home until you go back to school."

"I'm so excited! Can we go riding again?" Denzel jumped up and down.

"We'll see." Cloud turned to Vincent, who only nodded, then to Sephiroth. "So? How did it go?"

"We found my mother." Sephiroth turned on the faucet to rinse out the pan he'd been using.

"Was she what you were hoping for?" Cloud took Denzel's hand and guided him back to his seat.

"Everything and so much more." Sephiroth had his back to him, not really wanting him to see the huge smile that covered his face.

"Hey, Marlene." Cloud whispered gently as he hugged the little girl, who'd remained quiet this morning – still a bit sleepy. He then looked back to Sephiroth. "So what happened?"

"She came home with us." Sephiroth finally turned around. "She's out shopping with Tifa."

"Oh…"

Vincent actually wanted to laugh at this exchange. It was quite humorous to him, watching them attempt to have a pleasant conversation, neither of them really knowing how to carry it out. Of course it was expected, as they didn't have much to say to one another in the first place. Vincent then decided to initiate a new conversation, in an attempt to keep their communication alive.

"By the way, Sephiroth, I thought you should know…I asked Lucretia to marry me." He wasn't sure if it was right to tell them without having her there, but the newly revived sensation of excitement in his chest was forcing its way out his mouth.

Sephiroth, Cloud, and the children all looked at him in shock. Cloud had half way expected this, if they'd indeed brought her home, but Sephiroth hadn't considered it at all.

"You asked her to marry you?" Sephiroth gulped, leaning against the bar. He dropped his head and bit his lip. It was surreal notion for him, for his mother to be getting married. That would make Vincent his stepfather…A shudder ran up his spine, not because it disgusted him, but because he suddenly realized that he had to share his mother with another man. As an adult, he understood his mother's past relationship with Vincent and had a feeling that it could continue, but the child in him wanted to keep her for himself, but that was unrealistic and senseless. Of course he wanted his mother to be happy, and if Vincent was the source of her happiness, then so be it. He lifted his head up once more with a smile stretching from ear to ear. "That's wonderful! I wish you the best."

Vincent had braced himself for what rage Sephiroth may have, but he was awash with relief at his reaction. "Thank you. Sephiroth…I don't want you to think that I'm trying to steal her away."

"Nonsense." Sephiroth said brightly. "I know you're in love, I just hope you take care of her for me."

"You have my word."

"So, when is the wedding?" Cloud piped in as soon as the initial shock wore off.

"We haven't set a dare yet. But I hope soon."

"That's so romantic." Marlene yawned as she leaned her head on the counter.

"Hmm, looks like someone's still sleepy." Sephiroth sighed tenderly as he leaned over the bar to pick her up.

"I'm not sleepy." She protested, resting her head on his shoulder.

Cloud felt a little jealous as he watched Sephiroth behave a like a father to the children. Looking at the big picture, he supposed it wasn't surprising, considering the amount of time he spent with them and his evident desire to be with Tifa. He was not as jealous of Marlene as he was over Denzel…But the boy was eager to go on a trip with him, so he relaxed with the knowledge that he hadn't lost his son to Sephiroth yet.

Vincent had hoped that mentioning his engagement to Lucretia would perk up a conversation between them. He wasn't really sure why he was so worried about pushing them to talk, but a part of him wanted them to be friends. Perhaps it was because Cloud was his friend and Sephiroth was his love's son…So he tried again. "What do you two have planned for today?"

"I hadn't given it much thought." Cloud said honestly.

"Actually, Sephiroth, I was hoping you and I could have a sparring match today." Sephiroth seemed to brighten up.

"A sparring match?"

"I was thinking since we aren't exactly enemies anymore…we could at least spar to keep our skills sharp." Sephiroth was secretly hoping it would give them something to bond over. The truth was, Sephiroth had been thinking about how he and Cloud were once friends and how, deep down, he wished they could be friends again.

Cloud narrowed his eyes at him before brightening up. "Sure, tell me when you're ready." Cloud went up to his room to change his clothes.

"That was a shock." Vincent observed.

"Indeed. I hadn't expected him to agree." Sephiroth rocked Marlene back and forth on his shoulder as if she were a baby. "Perhaps our friendship is salvageable?"

"Perhaps." Vincent agreed with a nod.

"Sephiroth? When you and Cloud fight, can I watch?" Denzel seemed anxious to see what a battle between these two extremes was like, even if it was only for practice.

"Sure, of course you can." Sephiroth was eager to show him a thing or two about sword fighting. "Do you wish to learn the sword as well?"

"Well…I…" Denzel was taken aback, Cloud had never offered to teach him, and so he'd not expected Sephiroth to be the first to suggest it. "I don't know…"

"It's alright; feel free to ask if you decide." Sephiroth smiled before carrying Marlene back up to bed, finally deciding that she'd definitely not had enough sleep.

In his room, Cloud was busy trying to decide which sword to use in this duel with Sephiroth. Of course, he knew that Sephiroth would use his one and only Masamune. Cloud, on the other hand, had a multitude of weapons to choose from. He could use his set of Fusion Swords, or perhaps even out the field and use Yoshiyuki or Murasame – swords similar in style to Sephiroth's...So many to choose from. Then his eye fell upon his trusty nail bat, obtained from the Temple of the Ancients when he fell from the clock face…Yes, yes that would be fun to use…when Sephiroth was asleep and vulnerable!

Cloud shook his head. No, he mustn't think about things like that; he was trying to make friends with Sephiroth, so thinking about mangling him with a coward's move was unacceptable. Finally, he picked up his Fusion Swords; better to go with what he was used to.

"Tifa, what do you think about this one?" Lucretia picked up a black beaded cocktail dress with a sexy plunging neckline – it was rare to find something like that nowadays, at least in Edge anyway.

"Oh…wow…that would look amazing on you." Tifa uttered in awe.

"On me?" Lucretia held it up to Tifa, "I was thinking it could be for you!"

"Wha…Lucretia, we're supposed to be shopping for _you_."

Lucretia lowered the dress and sighed deeply, "Tifa, when was the last time you bought anything for yourself?" She could tell from Tifa's attitude today that she had a habit of putting others' wants and needs before her own.

Tifa nodded abashedly. "You're right." She took the dress from her. "I haven't treated myself to anything in a long time."

Holding up the short gown, she smiled at the sparkling beaded bodice. Without another word she headed for the fitting room.

Lucretia waited patiently for Tifa to come out, and when she finally emerged, Lucretia found herself short of breath. "Oh…Tifa…" She gasped.

"It's not cut too low?" Tifa gulped as she hunched up her shoulders, feeling like she was showing too much cleavage.

"Well, perhaps a bit…but you've got the body to pull it off!" Lucretia teased her playfully, "Besides, that's the point, and I'm sure Sephiroth would love to see you in something like that."

Tifa blushed a deep red; having not expected her to say something like that. She averted her gaze, looking at the dress and smoothing her hands along her sides. "It is really pretty."

"You look beautiful." Lucretia's face brightened with a motherly smile. "I think you should get it."

"Yeah." Tifa's mouth tugged up into a grin and she leapt back into the dressing room to change.

After retrieving Masamune from the dark depths of his closet, Sephiroth was ready to meet Cloud in the backyard for their spar. Cloud was already out there, having been ready since Sephiroth had suggested it.

Vincent and Denzel went up to the second floor and watched from the window. Denzel had wanted to be at ground level but Vincent had thought it safer to be above, and besides, that way Denzel would have a full view of the battle.

Like two gladiators in an arena, Sephiroth and Cloud stared one another down in the center of the yard. Neither of them had expected to feel so antsy, so excited about fighting. Perhaps it was because this was all in good fun and no blood would be shed. Like this they could unleash pent up energy and satisfy the manly urge to fight without mortal consequence.

"Are there any rules you'd like to place?" Sephiroth asked politely, his excitement bubbling in his chest.

"No, do you have any?" Cloud asked, he too feeling pumped up.

"No, only that if I win, I want you to do me a favor."

"What favor?"

"I need you to tell me what Tifa's favorite candy is called."

"Huh?" Cloud almost wanted to laugh; he'd not expected that from him. "A-alright, but if I win, I need something from you."

"What?"

"I think it's best to tell you after I win." Cloud growled as his old cocky attitude surfaced.

"Heh, suit yourself." Sephiroth said with a dark smirk.

With barely a flick of his wrist, Sephiroth sent Cloud reeling backward. Cloud barely had time to gain his bearings before Sephiroth closed in on him from above. He moved so fast that Cloud didn't even see him jump. Cloud raised his sword to block him, deflecting his attack and sending him soaring in the opposite direction.

Even without Jenova's power, Sephiroth was still faster than lightning. Sephiroth and Cloud had two very different styles and yet they rivaled one another greatly. Sephiroth was faster than the eye could see, his style was an ancient one, and its elegance matched his own personal beauty. He was light, smooth, and agile, and relied on his speed rather than his strength. Cloud on the other hand was stockier built and, while fast, was better suited for using his muscles in a fight. He swung his massive sword around with ease, but it still slowed him down. However, unlike his opponent, he did not focus on how fast he moved, but rather how strong his attacks were, how hard he hit.

It would seem to anyone that they were no match for each other, but the truth was that their mismatched styles were in fact the perfect mix. When Sephiroth would fling himself into the air to deliver a devastating blow, Cloud's strength would send him flying away before he could touch him. If these two ever fought _with_ one another instead of _against _each other, they would be an unstoppable force.

"I think it would be interesting to learn to fight." Denzel uttered softly, resting his chin on his folded hands.

Vincent regarded him silently, waiting for him to continue.

"But I'd be afraid to go to battle."

Nodding in understanding, Vincent leaned against the windowsill. "It is scary to go to battle. Cloud is scared every time, so is Tifa and everyone else, even _me_."

"I thought grownups weren't scared of anything."

"Oh no, that's not true." Vincent placed his hand reassuringly on the boy's shoulder. "All grownups get scared, just the way children do."

"Even Sephiroth?"

Vincent chuckled under his breath, "Yes, even Sephiroth."

"How do they make it so it doesn't keep them from fighting?"

"Our purpose." Vincent said simply. "Whatever it is we're fighting for is what makes us swallow our fear. When Cloud has gone to face Sephiroth in battle before, it was because he knew that if he didn't fight, he'd lose everyone he cared about…and that includes you."

"What about Sephiroth?"

"Why the interest in Sephiroth all of a sudden? I thought it was Cloud you idolized."

"Yeah, but…Sephiroth is so cool…and he's not the bad guy that Cloud always said he was."

"Well, not anymore. But he was our enemy once." Vincent turned his attention back to the fight below. "I just hope now that he's our friend…he'll stay that way."

"He will." Denzel peered up at him with confidence. "He promised Tifa he would protect us forever. I trust him."

"That's good." Vincent managed to smile. "He needs someone like you to believe in him."

"You don't believe in him?"

"It's not that I don't, but I've seen his evil first hand, and it is hard to forget."

"He's not evil anymore." Denzel asserted and looked back down to the fight.

Cloud and Sephiroth were just starting to have fun. They were drenched in sweat but not tired in the least. They hadn't even lost their breath yet. Both men rushed at each other, sparks flying as their blades clashed.

Cloud had managed to gain the upper hand and brought his heavy blade smashing down onto Sephiroth's sword. Sephiroth's arms trembled beneath the weight and his sword slid against the edge of Cloud's but he managed to sweep to the side, and with a swift twirl swung his sword around toward Cloud's throat.

The blunt side of the blade stopped just short of Cloud's neck. Had this been a real battle and if Sephiroth had not flipped his sword around at precisely the right moment, Cloud would most certainly be dead.

But then, so would Sephiroth.

Just as Sephiroth had spun around to deliver the "killing blow", Cloud had brought his sword up to smash it into Sephiroth's gut. He too had attacked with the blunt side of the blade, stopping just a few inches short of slicing him in two.

It was a draw.

There was a brief moment were they both thought they saw something dark in the other's eyes, like they regretted not killing one another. But it vanished as soon as they heard Denzel's excited applause from the upper window.

They lowered their blades slowly, as if weary of each other, but they managed to smile.

"Good fight." Sephiroth was the first to extend his hand.

"Yeah, good fight." Cloud did not hesitate to shake.

Though they were both hot and tired now, it felt like a weight had been lifted from both their shoulders. It was subtle at first, but when they'd finally shaken hands and actually genuinely smiled, it was truly evident. They weren't sure what it was that brought about this sudden change, perhaps it was the fact that they'd both held back and not tried to hurt one another; a silent agreement they'd not discussed. And furthermore, perhaps it was the fact they'd not _killed_ one another, that both men had the will to not let the past interfere and cause them to take advantage of the situation. Neither of them knew what the other had been thinking throughout the match, and it was in that moment that they'd clasped hands that they were aware of the level of trust they'd actually put in each other to keep this encounter as bloodless as possible. Either one of them could've turned on the other in an instant, but that's not what happened.

"We should do this again sometime." Cloud suggested as he lifted his sword to twirl it before resting it on his shoulder.

Sephiroth only nodded and swung his sword from side to side before turning the blade to jut straight up behind his arm.

"That was awesome!" Denzel ran out to them.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Cloud put his arm out for Denzel to put his arms around his waist.

"You were really cool!" He then smiled brightly at Sephiroth.

Cloud's face fell. So it was Sephiroth he enjoyed? Or was he just looking at him when he said it and meant that both of them were cool? Cloud's heart climbed his throat but he swallowed it back down. The child hadn't meant any harm, he was sure about that.

"Do you want to learn?" Sephiroth presented the 6 foot sword.

Denzel was speechless. He looked up at Cloud who seemed to resent the idea; his eyes weren't dark or hateful, but he did look hurt. Dropping his eyes to the ground, Denzel wondered what he should say.

"No thank you. I think I'll wait until I'm bigger and my dad can teach me."

Sephiroth smirked and lowered the sword. "That's probably a wise decision. Besides," He met Cloud's eyes, "it's better that a boy learn all he can from his father."

Cloud felt the lump in his throat again, but it was from something else. He hadn't expected Denzel to put his feelings first, and furthermore hadn't expected Sephiroth to be so gracious about it. In that moment, he knew that Sephiroth really had changed. Forcing a smile from his trembling lips, Cloud ruffled Denzel's hair, but kept his eyes locked with Sephiroth's. "Perhaps, when you're older, we both can teach you."


	27. Chapter XXVII: Sweet Passion

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Was anyone wondering about those orange filled chocolates that Denzel and Sephiroth ate?**

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**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXVII: Sweet Passion**

"Why do you want to know Tifa's favorite candy?" Cloud asked as he sat down at the bar.

Sephiroth reached into the cabinet beneath the counter and produced the box that once held the orange filled chocolates. "Because Denzel and I ate them all."

"Oh, I see. How long ago was that?"

"About a month ago."

"I'm surprised she hasn't mounted your heads on the wall yet." Cloud reached over and took the box, eying its unique charm. His heart lurched in his chest as he remembered the first time Tifa ever tried those chocolates. He'd bought some for her when he told her he was leaving to become a Soldier. "You know, you can't just get these anywhere."

"I can't?"

"Mm-mmm." Cloud shook his head slowly. "Süße Leidenschaft. They only come from Nibelheim."

"N-nibelheim?" Sephiroth face palmed. "You mean to say, I was just mere miles from there yesterday, and now I have to go back!?" Sephiroth turned away, taking a deep breath, he spoke, "If this is only found in Nibelheim, then how is it that Tifa has them? Did she go back there to buy them?"

Cloud lowered his eyes back to the box, tracing his finger along the coat of arms on the lid. "No. She probably had these ever since..." He trailed off. Shaking the sad memory from his mind, he continued, "She'll eat one probably only once a year. These things are that rare, and they're expensive."

"If she's had them that long, then how are they not stale by now?"

"I don't know, there's some kind of super preservative in them. It's a part of why they cost so damn much. They'll stay good for up to 15 years."

"I see…and I ate them all in a single night."

"Don't beat yourself up over it; it's just chocolate. You know, they just _come_ from Nibelheim, there might be some at the chocolatier in Kalm."

Sephiroth snapped his head up. "Can we get some by this evening?"

"Well, maybe if they have some." Cloud scratched the back of his head. "Did you want to go now?"

"If it's not a problem."

"It's not, but just one thing…" Cloud stood up and narrowed his eyes at him, "…you get the bitch seat."

Sephiroth's face fell at the slang term for the motorcycle's passenger seat. With a heavy sigh he nodded, "That's fine with me, as long as I get what I need."

The ride to Kalm was only about 30 minutes long, but it seemed much slower on bike than it did in a truck. Perhaps it had to do with being whipped by the wind, baked by the sun, and jostled around from the rocky terrain…or perhaps it had to do with straddling the back of another man…

Both Sephiroth and Cloud felt awkward and were sure they looked it too. And when they finally reached the town, their fears were confirmed. As they rolled in, people in the streets stared them down as if they were a pair of freaks in a sideshow, some even laughed at the sight.

"If we have to do this again…next time drop me off a mile outside of town and I'll run the rest of the way!" Sephiroth growled in Cloud's ear as they parked.

Sephiroth was the first to dismount, leaping from the seat with great enthusiasm and strutting a few feet away to gain distance from Cloud for a brief moment. He could still feel the eyes of the townspeople around him and shuddered under their gaze. In the end he swallowed his manly pride and pretended nothing was wrong.

The pair quickly found their way into the sweet shop to escape their embarrassment. Once inside, they were bombarded with the sweet smell of sugar. Like the rest of the town, this store also had is gown quaint charm. The built-in shelves in the walls were overflowing with hundreds of wonderful sweets and the tables in the middle of the floor were covered in beautiful, mouthwatering displays.

In the rear of the shop, was a door standing open, leading to what was probably a stockroom. The bell that hung above the front door chimed when they'd entered, alerting the shop owner.

"Just a moment!" A voice rang out from the open door and an old woman appeared a second later. She was wearing an apron streaked with chocolate splatters and sugar, suggesting that the rear room was indeed her kitchen and she made the chocolate herself.

This discovery made Sephiroth's heart sink, since she may not know how to make what he was after. But he still smiled warmly at her, masking his desperation and his preparation for disappointment. Cloud however, upon seeing the old woman, did an about face and leaned over to Sephiroth.

"Hey, I gotta go take care of something, I'll meet you outside." He didn't even wait for Sephiroth's reply before leaving.

Sephiroth watched silently as he fled, wondering what in the world had gotten into him suddenly.

"Can I help you?" The old woman's voice brought Sephiroth's attention back to her and he smiled again.

"Yes, I'm looking for some chocolate."

"Well, you've come to the right place; I've got almost anything you can think of." She smiled and waddled closer to him.

"I'm looking for a specific kind…it's orange flavored." He gulped as he'd forgotten how Cloud had pronounced the name.

"Well, let me see. I've got orange slices, orange filled chocolate cups…"

"Umm…it's a very rare sort. I think it's called…soosa…sooza…lieden…

"Oh, you mean Süße Leidenschaft! _Zoos-sah Lie-den-shaft_." She sounded it out slowly for Sephiroth's benefit. She'd meant it as a kind gesture, but she'd ended up making him feel like an idiot.

"Yes, thank you." Sephiroth hung his head in defeat. First he looks like an idiot on Cloud's bike and now he can't say two simple words! But he snapped his head back up. "Do you have any?"

"Oh…" The old woman nodded, "…I do, but I'm afraid I only have one box left. It's a few years old though, I don't make it anymore."

"I see. Are you willing to sell this last box?"

The woman didn't seem to be pleased to part with it, but with a heavy sigh she left to her kitchen, leaving Sephiroth alone. He considered leaving the store, but was relieved when she returned holding a familiar black box.

"So what's her name?" The old woman asked almost sadly as she ran her thumb along the gold filigree detailing.

Sephiroth's shoulder's stiffened. "What?"

"The woman you're buying these for?" She met his surprised gaze and immediately averted her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"No…it's alright. I was just shocked you knew I was buying these for a woman."

"You don't know about these do you?"

"What about them?"

"Süße Leidenschaft means _Sweet Passion._ While the name might not really be significant, it's got a legend attached to it.

"A legend?" Sephiroth leaned in to hear, though was skeptical, not really caring much for fairytales.

"This is more than just something to satisfy your sweet tooth, young man…No one really knows why, but any man who gives this as a gift to a woman is guaranteed her undying love forever."

Sephiroth raised his head back up, narrowing his eyes at the old woman. _She must be crazy or something! _He thought cynically. "Is that it?" He crossed his arms and stared down at her.

"It's the truth." She insisted as pulled out some wrapping paper. "I'm the only one in the world who knows how to make it!"

"So why are you refusing to make more?"

"It's not that I'm refusing, but no one wants to pay the price for it, so I don't make it. Simple as that." She started to meticulously wrap the box.

"So how long has this stuff been around?"

"Oh, centuries, dear boy, centuries." She waved her hand as if to say it didn't matter one way or the other.

"And this is the last unopened box in existence?"

"To my knowledge it is." She heaved a heavy breath and just stared at the half wrapped box. "I remember the last box I sold. I don't know why this particular time stands out in my memory…perhaps it's because the boy I sold it to was so young. He couldn't have been more than about 9 or 10, well perhaps he was a little older. He told me he wanted to give it to his friend. I don't think he believed me when I told him she would fall in love with him, but, he was able to pay, so I sold it to him."

"Did he ever tell you what happened?"

"No…the boy left town some time later, I moved here to Kalm about the same time, so I never even knew what became of either of them."

"Well, I'll let you know if she falls in love with me." Sephiroth nodded, trying to conceal his skepticism. "How much?"

"300,000 gil."

Sephiroth's face fell and his heart followed, plummeting down to his stomach, making him feel ill. His eyes were wide and his mouth fell open. He knew it would be costly, but…damn!

"I told you, it's expensive."

"I don't have that much." Sephiroth gulped.

"Well you can give me something else in exchange." She said nonchalantly, tying a gold ribbon in a bow around the wrapped package.

"Like what?" Sephiroth's heart was now starting to beat rather quickly.

The old woman placed hand on her hip and scanned him up and down. "Hmm…" Then her grave face brightened up, "How about a big wet kiss, you sexy beast!"

Sephiroth's heart then stopped. He stumbled backward a few steps. "Madam, you are joking…aren't you?"

The woman winked at him and smiled, dropping the act and started straightening up the ribbon. "Of course I am; you're young enough to be my grandson. But I will accept a worthy trade if you have no money…after all, the boy from Nibelheim was able to give me something.

"He had no money?"

"Now what would a little boy from a backwoods mountain town be doing with 300,000 gil?" She had a point.

"Well," Sephiroth was at a complete loss of what he could possibly give in exchange for these "magic chocolates". He had nothing of any value, at least nothing worth 300,000 gil. Wait…perhaps... "Do you like my hair?" He turned around to let her view the long silvery waterfall that was Sephiroth's luxurious mane.

"Hmm…quite. It certainly is beautiful, and such a unique color, especially for someone your age." She observed, "Come closer." He backed up to let her touch it. Like the finest silk. "This will do." She produced a pair of scissors from her apron and sliced straight through the shimmering strands.

Sephiroth's head suddenly felt lighter and his hair, that once hung down almost to his ankles, now stopped at his back, just above his rear, shorter than it was, yet still quite long.

"I'm surprised that you offered up a part of your body." She uttered as she cut another piece of ribbon to bind up the severed hair. "The boy did the same. Only his hair was a beautiful golden color."

"I'm surprised you accepted it."

"Hair is personal." She nodded, braiding up the locks. "Sometimes it can even define who you are. Besides tatting is a hobby of mine, and your hair will make gorgeous lace."

Sephiroth breathed in deep through his nose, "Is that it then?"

"Yes, yes, you can go. But please do remember to tell me if she falls for you."

"Thank you ma'am…and I will be sure to let you know." Taking the box and heading for the door, Sephiroth paused in the middle of the room and turned around. "Her name is Tifa, by the way."

The old woman smiled warmly, as that distant memory was awakened once more in her mind. "What a beautiful name."

Sephiroth regarded her for only a second longer before leaving. Shivers ran up down his spine as he left, feeling the woman's eyes on him even after was out of sight. He found Cloud leaning up against his bike, waiting.

"Did you finish what you needed?"

Cloud just nodded, he was staring at the ground as if were contemplating something heavy.

"You didn't have any errands did you?"

Again, Cloud just nodded.

"You just didn't want to risk being recognized by that crazy old lady."

Cloud just snapped his head up at him. "Why would you say that?"

"Because she told me about the blond boy from Nibelheim who gave these chocolates to his friend."

"There are a lot of blond boys in Nibelheim."

"Someone had to have given these to Tifa all those years ago."

Cloud just sighed inidignantly. "The old woman told you the story behind them right?"

"She said that if a man gives a box to a woman she'll fall in love with him forever."

"Yeah…well…I don't believe in magic candy. Besides, it's also supposed to work both ways. They say that if the woman gives a piece to a man, even if it isn't the one that gave them to her, that he'll love her forever as well. But it's not just romantic love, it can be platonic also."

Sephiroth furrowed his brow, remembering what Denzel had said about Tifa saying it was magic chocolate. Now he understood why Denzel was so mercilessly attached to her. But…no that was obsurd, there was no such thing as magic chocolate that makes people fall in love with each other. However, the power of suggestion was a strong thing and perhaps if someone told somebody the story, it would make them want to believe in it. And then there was the common knowledge that this stuff was extremely expensive, so perhaps the woman is simply won over by the fact that a man was willing to spend so much money, or give up something personal just for her.

"I see you got a new do." Cloud noticed how much shorter his hair was as the wind caught it, blowing it over his shoulder.

"Yes, I didn't have enough money, so she took my hair as payment."

"Yeah." Cloud's eyes seemed to mist over and he turned toward the motorcycle. He paused only briefly before mounting. "Shall we go?

Sephiroth looked over his shoulder, hoping no one was watching them again. "Why don't you go first? I'll meet you just outside of town."


	28. Chapter XXVIII: He Loves Her

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. If anyone's wondering, yeah, I'm definitely taking my time on purpose.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXVIII: He Loves Her**

"So, how has it been with Vincent?" Tifa asked as she took a bite of her sandwich.

Lucretia didn't reply immediately; she instead looked down at her own lunch and contemplated the best answer. It wasn't that she had anything negative to say, but she was considering if she should tell Tifa about Vincent's proposal. She'd been holding it in since they'd left Costa Del Sol, and was bursting with excitement to tell someone. Finally, she straightened up again and smiled, her elation becoming evident as she dropped her sandwich into its wrapping and set it to her side, turning to Tifa with enthusiasm as if to share some juicy gossip.

"I couldn't be happier! After all, he is the man I love…and I've got my son back as well! My life couldn't possibly get better!" She had to gulp down the squeal of delight that swelled in her throat. "And also, I have a secret I've been dying to tell you."

"What?" Now Tifa was starting to feel the blissful rush emanating from Lucretia. She too set her lunch aside and leaned in closer.

"Promise you won't tell, because he might want to announce it to everyone later, but Vincent asked me to marry him."

"You're getting married?" It was something Tifa should've seen coming, but her mind had not even begun to entertain such a possibility. She'd assumed then that she'd not thought about it because Lucretia and Vincent had been apart for so many years, certain that they'd want to spend some time to get to know one another again. Tifa also felt a small pang of jealousy inside of her, making her stomach swirl. It's not that she wanted to get married too, it was simply the fact Lucretia was so intensely loved by a man that remained loyal to her for so long, and whose love never faltered for a moment. Theirs was the sort of love that fairytales immortalize, and deep down Tifa wished she could be loved like that. Her stomach tightened and she felt a little nauseated, but she swallowed the bile bubbling in her throat and found a smile. "That's wonderful news, Lucretia." Tifa leaned in and the women shared an awkward sideways hug.

As they parted from one another, Lucretia, having sensed Tifa's brief moment of doubt and discomfort, whispered delicately, "You're such a beautiful girl, Tifa, especially when you smile. Sephiroth loves it when you smile…he loves _you_."

"Really?" Tifa brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and picked up her half eaten sandwich. "He hasn't said it yet."

"Well, can you blame him? After all he's put you through he's probably scared that you'll reject him. But then, you haven't said it yet either, have you?"

"No…I haven't." Tifa bit into her sandwich and chewed it up slowly, feeling like she might be sick again.

"Perhaps you should say something first." Lucretia suggested a she too finished her lunch.

"I'm afraid too. I told Cloud I loved him and he just threw it back in my face."

"Sephiroth _is not_ Cloud, my dear." Lucretia reminded her ardently of that fact, hoping to make her see how much she's making herself suffer. "He's a completely different creature all together, and he desires you more than I've ever seen a man desire a woman." Her own stomach flipped, but with excitement, and her heart felt a little pinched.

"Even more than Vincent?" Tifa felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"Yes. I think Sephiroth is fiercely loyal to you; he'd do anything for you, I even think he'd die for you if he knew you'd be safe."

"If that's supposed to be a joke, it's not funny." Tifa lamented, looking away from her.

"It's not a joke; I really mean it."

"Hmph," Tifa hummed softly, trying to shake out the unwanted sensation that squeezed her from the inside. "Let's not talk about this anymore…" She suddenly brightened up, "…We need to start planning your wedding!"

Cloud and Sephiroth arrived at the bar just in time for Sephiroth to hide the chocolates in his room. Of course as long as Vincent and his mother were staying with them, they'd be using that room, but it was still the safest place to hide the box. He wanted to be alone when he gave it to her and had a brilliant idea as to how.

The first thing he needed to do was to straighten up a private place for them. In this tiny house with seven people in it, there was little privacy to be had unless he set something up in her bedroom, but it didn't have the atmosphere he had in mind. He wanted it to be romantic, maybe a little exotic without leaving their home. Alright, he conceded that there was no such place that would sport exoticism, but at least they could have some privacy.

Sephiroth made a bee- line for the stairs at the end of the hall, running up to the roof. Scanning his surroundings, he was glad there wasn't a big mess up there. Thankfully he still had a couple hours of sunlight left, but he hoped to get everything set up before he and Tifa opened the bar that evening. However, there wasn't much to work with; all he had was a dirty fire pit, a few mismatched folding chairs and a rusty old patio table.

Breathing a sigh of disdain, he figured he'd definitely need a tablecloth to begin with. He scuttled back down the steps and found the linen cabinet in the spare bathroom. There had to be tablecloth, but pushing aside the sheets and towels, he discovered nothing. There were no tablecloths.

"Damn!" He husked softly, but his eyes lit up when he thought of using a flat sheet. Of course it may get dirty., but it was all he had to work with, and it could always be washed afterward.

Tucking one of the white sheets under his arm, he ran down to the bar. Vincent was sitting at the counter, thumbing through a magazine. When Sephiroth appeared from the doorway, neither one of them had acknowledged the other. It wasn't out of rudeness, but Sephiroth was too focused to notice Vincent sitting there, and Vincent in turn was somewhat stunned by his abrupt entry that he'd neglected to speak. After a moment of watching Sephiroth rummage around through the cabinets, he felt the urge to question him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for a bud vase." Sephiroth replied promptly, as if expecting to be questioned.

"Did you try checking the closet in the corner? I think I'd seen something in there before." Vincent motioned toward the broom cupboard before returning to his reading.

"Thanks." Sephiroth made his way over quickly. As soon as he opened the door, he found what he'd been searching for, a small skinny bud vase.

Intrigued by his sudden need for a vase, not to mention the sheet he had folded up under his arm, Vincent closed the magazine and turned around to face him. "What are you really doing?"

"I'm setting up something for Tifa." Sephiroth said as he continued sifting through the junk in search of some candles.

"What's the occasion?" Perhaps there was no reason for it, but Vincent was curious as to why Sephiroth seemed to be in such a rush.

Sephiroth paused. He did not turn to look at him, but he did stand up and heave a heavy sigh. _What in the world is he asking that for?_ Did he not know that it was Tifa's birthday today? Sephiroth was about to say something, but at the last moment decided to remain silent. "Nothing…" He muttered darkly. _How can you call yourself her friend and still have forgotten her birthday? _"…I just want to do something nice for her."

Vincent said no more. Turning back to the bar, he opened up his magazine and continued where he left off. But as he read the article, he was not truly seeing the words; he was thinking about the effort that Sephiroth was apparently putting forth for Tifa. It might seem like nothing to an uneducated person, but for someone who'd been in the fray and been head-to-head with such a terrifying and powerful beast, it was simply a spectacle – not to mention a great leap in the right direction – to see that same foe doing his best to bring happiness to a close friend.

As he dashed up stairs with his findings, Sephiroth passed Denzel's door just as the boy was emerging from his bedroom.

"Huh? I guess my two dads are back." He thought aloud with slight sarcasm as he glimpsed Sephiroth heading for the roof. "So he didn't forget after all." In truth, Denzel had half way expected Sephiroth to have forgotten about Tifa's birthday, and he'd not bothered to remind him about it just in case. The reason being was that he wanted to use it as a sort of test, to see if Sephiroth loved Tifa enough to remember a date that Cloud usually forgot. _If he makes her happy tonight, then I guess I'll have to pass him. _

When the boy made his way down to the bar, he found Tifa and Lucretia just coming through the door.

"Hey mom." Denzel yawned as he went up to give her a hug.

Tifa flashed a huge smile and took him in her arms. She loved it when he called her "mom". It wasn't too often that he felt comfortable enough to call her that, but she was glad he'd been using it more freely in recent days. "Hey sweetie. Did you behave today?"

"Yeah, I was good, and Marlene was too, so don't worry."

"By the way, Denzel, is Marlene awake yet?" Vincent asked, having remembered he'd not seen her since that morning.

"Uh-huh, she woke up just after Cloud and Sephiroth's duel. She's just been lazy today and decided to lay up in the room."

"That's good; I was worried she'd taken ill or something."

"No, she's ok. But she is mad that she missed the fight."

"Well she shouldn't have been sleeping all day." Vincent regarded the issue once more before returning to his reading.

Tifa was surprised. She paused briefly at the mention of the words "duel" and "fight". Her heart fluttered anxiously in her chest and she gulped down the hard lump that climbed up her throat. "Wait, Cloud and Sephiroth fought today?"

"Yeah! It was so awesome!" Denzel's face lit up with excitement. "But don't worry, it wasn't a real fight; they were just playing."

"You mean they were sparring?" Tifa was aghast; she'd never considered the possibility of a civil training match between these two great warriors. But, in the end, as she dwelled on it for another several seconds, the constricting feeling in her throat subsided, and her heartbeat slowed to a fragile, tender pace. A warm sensation pooled in the pit of her stomach, but it wasn't a sickened sort of swelling. The feeling was welcome and soothing, a sort of relief that she'd been waiting for since Sephiroth first moved in with them. _Perhaps now we can _all_ be friends. _

"Yeah! And guess what? When I get older Cloud and Sephiroth are going to teach me how to use a sword!

With a sweet smile and a gentle ruffle of her son's hair, Tifa drew him in again and hugged him ever tighter. She loved that he was so excited; it fueled her own sense of security and peace of mind. It worried her ever since she'd adopted this boy that he'd never find happiness with this strange excuse for a family, but her doubts were put to rest whenever he'd be so wonderfully worked up like this.

"So you're going to be my little warrior?" She chuckled.

"No!" Denzel shook his head vigorously before correcting her, "I'm gonna be a _big_, powerful warrior! I'm gonna be the best there is, even better than dad! And then _I'll_ protect you, mom."

"Oh? I'm sure you will." Tifa kissed his forehead.

Denzel was not yet ready to let go of Tifa, but at last he released her from his grasp. Even though she was not his real mother, he loved Tifa more than he could ever have loved Chloe. He never could fathom his affection for Tifa, but perhaps it was that his real mother never gave him the time of day, never showed him enough attention for him to have gained such feelings of devotion. But Tifa was different, she spent every waking moment with him and Marlene, she even let them help out while she was working, she used all her earnings to make sure they were comfortable before spending what little was left for herself. She was the best mother he could've ever asked for. But now it felt like she was being taken away from him. It didn't really bother him that she was in love with a man; after all, she'd been in love with Cloud since before he came to them, but it alarmed him that a man was returning her love. It worried him that if she had a boyfriend she would forget about _him_. Even his real mother spent more time with his father than she did with him. But this fear was a sharp contrast to his previous wish for Tifa and Cloud to be together; it was a terrible conundrum that plagued his young mind.

"Mom, can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask me anything." Tifa leaned in closer to listen.

"Do you ever wish that I wasn't around?" He regretted the question as soon as he'd asked it, seeing Tifa's smile turn abruptly into a frown.

"What do you mean by that?" She took him back into her arms, this time she trembled with worry. "Of course not! You're the light of my life."

"Really?"

"Yes! Don't you ever think that I don't want you. What made you ask something like that?"

"Well…I…I was worried that if you had a boyfriend, then you'd forget about me."

"I could never forget about you." She managed a soothing smile and ran her fingers through his hair. "Even if I got married and had 20 more children…I could _never, ever_ forget about you. You'll always be my special little guy."

"I love you, mommy." Denzel tossed his arms around her neck and kept her close.

"I love you too, Denzel."

"So do you love Sephiroth? Like enough to marry him?"

"Oh…my little baby…What is it with you and these weird questions lately?" She giggled softly. "Not yet; we haven't known each other long enough for that. But I do love him."

"As much as you love Cloud?"

Tifa considered lying, but what good would that do? "Yes, sweetheart, I do."

"Ok then…" Denzel took a deep breath to settle his nerves, "Sephiroth is making up something nice for you up on the roof, so make sure you dress pretty."

"Oh yeah?" She blinked back the tears brimming her eyes.

"Yep, but you have to wait until later."

"Ok, I'll be patient."

Lucretia and Vincent both observed this exchange quietly. Lucretia had drawn closer to him, entering his arms and burying her face in his raven hair. She felt as though she were about to cry. She'd never had that sort of relationship with her son, and to see another woman experience such a touching moment was almost too much to handle. Her heart felt as though it would burst in her chest and she swallowed down the burning in her throat. She didn't want to dare say she was envious of Tifa, but she wished she could turn back time and share Sephiroth's childhood with him.

"Are you alright?" Vincent whispered almost inaudibly, just loud enough for Lucretia to hear.

"Yes." She lied elegantly. "I'm just thinking about Sephiroth."

"My love," he drew her back and kissed her, "do not despair, it will be alright."

"I know, but it still hurts."


	29. Chapter XXIX: Set Ablaze

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. **

* * *

**Change of Heart **

**Chapter XXIX: Set Ablaze**

Sephiroth looked over his work with an arrogant smirk. The small table was dressed with the sheet, set with a bottle of pink champagne, two glasses, candles, and a bud vase with two of Aerith's flowers. He'd also lit the fire pit, and in one of the chairs he'd placed Tifa's CD player, in the deck was playing one of her favorite albums, a compilation of piano concertos. He'd even rolled out an old, fluffy comforter compete with some pillows just in case they decided to cuddle or perhaps something more. Sephiroth wasn't exactly planning to have sex tonight, but the idea was a little too much to ignore.

He adjusted his jacket and made sure he looked alright; he'd never really had to worry about impressing a woman before, since the mere mention of his name often had their clothes falling off anyway. But he knew Tifa was different, she needed to be impressed – not that she was shallow by any means – but he knew she needed comfort, romance, tender loving care. And he was willing to give all he had to her tonight. This night would be the night that he told her exactly how he felt.

As he waited for her arrival, he gazed out over the cityscape. The city was lit up and sparkled like a million stars littering the earth. The sky was dark, the moon and stars crowded with dark clouds hovering close to the ground. Sephiroth feared another storm as he smelled the wet scent of rain. Hopefully it would wait to rain after they'd retired in doors. As he prayed silently for a dry night, he almost didn't notice the woman quietly approaching.

"It's beautiful up here, isn't it?" Tifa whispered, turning her gaze out over the minimal skyline.

"Not half as beautiful as you." Sephiroth replied, taking her in. The very sight of her took his breath away, her long hair glistened more than usual, the beads on her little black dress glittered, and her porcelain legs appeared longer and daintier in a pair of shiny black pumps that she seldom wore. He took her in his arms and held her thus, bringing her close.

She slid her hands up his chest and letting them rest just below his collarbone. "So what's this about?"

"It's for your birthday."

Tifa smiled and snorted softly, "And who may I ask told you today was my birthday?"

"Denzel." Sephiroth confessed. "He told me that you deserved something special, and I quite agree." He motioned toward the table and let her sit. He stood near her and popped the cork on the champagne, filling her glass all the way up before handing it over to her.

"Oh, this kind is my favorite!" She gasped as she took a sip, relishing the feeling of the sweet, cold, crispness dancing upon her tongue. Sephiroth only smiled and tasted his own share, feeling somewhat invigorated by the delicate, yet bold flavor.

"Thank you, Sephiroth. I don't normally keep this type of champagne because I'm afraid I'll drink it all." She laughed with joy at her gift, thinking that this was the lot of it.

"Oh, well that's not all." He gave her his hand, coaxing her to dance with him.

She'd made a feeble protest, claiming that she was no good at dancing. But in the end, the sound of the piano called to her and the promise of being held in Sephiroth's arms was far more intoxicating than any liquor could ever be. So giving in, she took his hand and entered his embrace, letting him guide her along into a slow, steady waltz.

The piano lulled her into a comfortable reverie, allowing her to draw in closer to him, and rest her head on his shoulder. Sephiroth could smell the perfume in her hair as he kissed the top of her head. Tifa listened to the beating of his heart, noticing how it somehow kept perfect rhythm in time with the music. Her own heart raced to match his, though did not quite manage to keep up. She could also feel how rapid his breath had become; the hot jagged puffs on her head and face were unavoidable. Was he nervous?

Sephiroth did his best to keep his composure. The sudden desire to have his way with her had struck him, and he was fighting to maintain control. He was well aware of how she pressed against him, how his hand on her waist as slowly making its way around her back, and creeping lower. He sensed her own nerves spiking, but he couldn't tell if she was resisting the urge as well, or if his own uneasiness was unsettling her. With a tender hand, Sephiroth smoothed back her hair and allowed her to lift her head to look at him.

"Tifa, I have another present I want to give you. Come." He steered her back to the table. He lifted a box from the opposite chair, and placed it in front of her.

Tifa eyed the careful gold wrapping and lightly fingered the satin ribbon tied gingerly around it. Sephiroth was anxious for her to open it, growing impatient as she spent too much time admiring the wrapping paper.

"What's the matter?" He asked swiftly.

"Oh, sorry…" She uttered softly, "…I've just never been given a present that was wrapped up before."

Sephiroth instantly understood and berated himself for not being more understanding. Tifa had never received a wrapped gift before? "Not even a child?"

"Well, perhaps when I was a kid, but not as an adult." She then decided it was time to rip it open. As soon as the paper fell away, she sat there perplexed at what she saw.

"Suβe Leidenschaft?" Her voice was only a soft, mousey whimper. "But how…"

"Cloud told me these were your favorites…I wondered, because Denzel pulled them from the back of the cabinet and shared them with me. We didn't mean to eat all of them, I'm sorry…"

"Cloud bought that box for me a long time ago." She lowered her head like she was about to cry, but she stood up and looked into his eyes. "He used to have long hair like you, but he cut it off in payment for those."

A sharp sting kissed Sephiroth's cheek and he reeled back a few inches, having not expected her to strike him. But what happened next surprised him all the more. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and dragged him back so they were almost nose to nose.

"But you did the same…I noticed that your hair is much shorter now than it was before." Her breath beat against his face, her lips visibly trembling as she spoke.

"The old woman said I had to sacrifice something personal." He gulped.

Tifa felt her heart kick up frantically in her chest and she glanced behind him at the blankets and pillows on the floor. Grabbing the box and the bottle of champagne, she pushed him toward the makeshift bed and seated herself before him. Sephiroth took the initiative to grab the glasses and sit down beside her, watching intently as she opened it up. The sweet scent of the orange and chocolate assaulted their noses and their mouths subsequently began to water.

"Take one." Tifa handed him the box but he pushed it back to her.

"No, you should have the first one."

Without any objection, Tifa took one of the sticks and broke it in half between her dainty fingers. "We share." She handed him one half, keeping the other for herself.

Simultaneously, they tossed them into their mouths and enjoyed it together. As soon as it was gone, they both stared at each other, their eyes locking for brief moment, and a tight feeling overcame their hearts and suddenly they started giggling. They sounded like a pair of children who'd done something naughty yet fun.

Doing his best to collect himself, Sephiroth refilled their glasses and raised his glass to her. "To _you_, Tifa." His voice was ever so soft, his throat humming as he spoke and it took Tifa's breath away. She said nothing, only smiled and raised her glass to acknowledge the toast, then they both drank to complete it.

"Thank you, Sephiroth…I'm sure these were a terrible bother to find."

"No, not really, Cloud told me where I might find them. It was only a quick ride to Kalm and back. However, by a stroke of fate it happened to be the same old lady that sold your other box to Cloud."

"Really?" Tifa feigned surprise, she knew from how he paid that it was the same old woman. "In that case I'm sure she told you about the love story."

"Yes…any woman I give this box to will fall head over heels in love with me."

Tifa shrugged her shoulders, "Hmm, that's sort of true, but it's not just any woman, at least not the way I heard it. The way I heard it is that you have to already be deeply in love with the woman for the spell to work, otherwise, it's nothing more than a really expensive box of chocolates." She giggled for taking another.

"S-so, you didn't fall in love with Cloud because he gave you this box?" Sephiroth was dumbfounded, wondering if he just cut off his hair for nothing.

Tifa beamed at him, "I'm not sure, from what I understand he never really loved me at all. I suppose you'll just have to ask him if he did or not. Now the real question here is, Sephiroth…" She sat the box down and carefully took their champagne flutes away to rest on the closed lid. Resting up on her knees she inched closer to him, "…Where you hoping the spell would work?"

Sephiroth's heart shot up into his throat and threatened to strangle him from the inside out. His chest began to heave dramatically and he reached up to caress her cheek. He wanted to tell her so badly; but it was just too difficult to say those three little words.

"Tifa…" Once again her name was all that could escape his mouth, "…Did it work?"

Tifa lowered her eyes and looked away from him. His chest halted mid-breath and he was ready to receive a full blown rejection. Especially when she said, "No, it didn't."

That was when his heart slid back down his throat and landed with a miserable plop on his stomach, causing him to feel sick. _She…really did…reject…_He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and everything he'd hoped for between them was dashed. But before he could get up to leave, the unexpected happened. Tifa reached up and grabbed his head, pulling him in for the single most passionate kiss of their lives.

In this single locking of lips, she poured forth everything she felt for him since he'd come to live there. There was no such thing as that evil, dark, monster that plagued her dreams and made her afraid to sleep. Now, there was only a beautiful angel of love, her great protector who swore to remain eternally by her side and keep her nightmares from ever returning. Her hands found their way around his waist and pinned her against his rock hard chest. His hands in turn wrapped protectively around her shoulders and silently vowed once more that they'd remain so for as long she desired.

His breath was so sweet and his tongue was cooled by the alcohol, but Tifa didn't mind; in fact she welcomed the exciting taste and delved deeper to seek out more. Sephiroth was only too happy to oblige her.

Finally coming up for air before they drowned completely in one another, Tifa pressed her cheek against his, whispering into his ear, "The spell didn't work because I was in love with you to begin with."

"When? When did you realize?" Sephiroth's lungs started working again, as did his heart.

"The night of the meteor shower." She replied, her voice sounded labored. He couldn't see her face, but he was sure she was crying. "A-and you?"

Sephiroth turned his gaze toward the heavens, the dark clouds were beginning to part and the moon began to shine down upon them, blessing them with its heavenly light. "Ever since I woke up and saw you dusting the windowsill."

"Then why have you waited this long to tell me?"

"I should ask you the same thing. But I was unsure of many things at that point; I guess I just needed to regain my bearings. So? What about you?"

"I was unsure too. I'd wanted Cloud for so long; it was a shock to me to feel that way about someone else. I was worried about what everyone would think, and I was worried about being rejected again."

"Tifa…" He lifted her back and saw the silvery tears streaking down her face. "I could never reject you, I never will…Let me just say it…" Caressing her cheek once more, he took a deep breath and said, clearly, "I love you, Tifa."

She could've broke down again, but she just shut her eyes and let it sink in. Finally, someone said that to her, but it wasn't just anyone; it was a man she'd grown to love. He was the last person on the planet she'd ever wanted, but somehow, now he was the only one she could think of.

"I love you too, Sephiroth."

The next kiss they shared was just as livening as the prior and debatably more passionate. Sephiroth leaned into her, easing her back against the old moth eathen pillows and relaxed in her embrace as his lips roved against hers. Tifa's fingers twisted into his silken hair, keeping his head close, and not wanting to release him. He pressed harder against her, trying the best he could to somehow mold his body with hers. He craved her, wanting her to be a part of him, and he of her.

Sephiroth's voice hummed in his throat as he moaned against her lips, drawing out her own beauteous sigh of pleasure. His hands roamed her body with no shame, touching her everywhere they happened to fall. Sephiroth felt his manhood swell with desire and Tifa's own tender nest throbbed with the most exquisite pain. The night air suddenly felt cool to them as their skin heated, and they clung together to attain even more sweet warmth. But even as the chill penetrated their flesh, they no longer found the need to remain clothed.

As they bared themselves to one another, it was like opening up another doorway into the world of love. Hot hands seared their skin as they gently ghosted over each other, memorizing every dip and curve, every ripple of muscle and every bump of gooseflesh. There was no lust here, only the purest, most irrevocable form of love and trust. There was no one else in that moment; only they existed there together. Regardless of who existed _before_ this moment, there will never be another _afterward_, for both had silently vowed eternity to one another. Their desire and devotion to each other was beyond belief, even to themselves, but now it was the most plausible thing in the world.

When Sephiroth was ready to provide her with his tumescence, he did not need to ask for permission; the gratuitous display of her body before him was enough to tell him she was more than ready to receive it. As he entered her, the fiery warmth of her womanhood devoured him completely, bringing forth a sharp growl from deep within his chest. Tifa's svelte figure arched against him, begging for him to stay inside of her. He remained thus for as long as he could manage, the gentle squeezing of her soft sheath driving him out only for him to surrender to it again.

Their lips found each other again, though did not stay pinned for long. Their mouths found numerous places on their skin with which to toy, discovering new spots to elicit more excitement and personal pleasure. Tifa loved the tender, almost nonexistent folds of skin at his neck, favoring in particular the place just below his Adam's apple. Sephiroth on the other hand, like any man, particularly enjoyed her breasts, specifically the supple curve just below her lovely pert nipples. But in the end, no matter how fun it was to tease these sensitive areas, their lips still managed to find their way back to each other.

Since their lovemaking began they'd sensed a peculiar sensation brewing deep down in their cores. A feeling of smoldering embers, heating up and glowing red hot. Each kiss, each touch, and every meeting of their eyes, only served to fan the flames of their passion. Neither of them had truly felt anything quite like it. They both were certainly not unacquainted with sexuality, but making love was something else entirely. Tifa thought she'd experienced what it meant to lie with a real lover, but in the end it was nothing more than what she'd already been accustomed to. Sephiroth, however, never had the aspiration to achieve such a level of enlightenment. But together they experienced something spellbindingly wondrous.

With their bodies moving as one and yet still providing them each with their own pleasure, they felt the fire inside of them grow ever higher, threatening to set them both ablaze. Their veins surged with white hot energy, causing their bodies to tremble and command release. Both of them held on to the feeling, attempting to ride out whatever pleasure would last until they yielded entirely to the inferno.

But no matter how strong they thought they were, their desire was stronger and finally it had forsaken them the most enthralling feeling fathomable. For Sephiroth, it was like the fire had burned him to nothing but ashes as his essence spilled forth from his body, seeking to cool the flames that still raged within Tifa. As she was filled by him, Tifa felt her heat cooling, accompanied by a generous tremor of flames than instantly quelled into steam as soon as it touched the gift Sephiroth had given her.

Quivering and exhausted, Sephiroth slowly lowered himself upon Tifa's shivering body. He was suddenly all too aware of how cold the night had become and sought to warm his beloved once more, only this time he drew the corner of the large quilt around them, and offered her the salvation of his embrace. Cocooned together, they remained until daybreak.

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**Yes, I know the last chapter left alot to be desired, and it really only was meant to serve a little bit of fluff before anymore important events happened. So I hope this chapter made up for it. **


	30. Chapter XXX: The Morning After

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXX: The Morning After **

Tifa couldn't have been happier than she was in that moment, in fact, up to that point it was the happiest she'd ever felt. She stared up at the early morning sky; the stars were still visible from where she lie with Sephiroth's head resting on her chest. He was heavy and his breathing was deep and rhythmic, indicating he was still asleep. The sun was making its ascent into the pastel sky and taking in a deep breath, Tifa could smell the damp air, hear the sounds of the trucks and the people filtering out into the streets. A soft smile graced her face and she wrapped her arms around Sephiroth, petting his hair and relaxing into the pillows.

She knew she should be getting up, but she was just too comfortable and content. She also did not want to disturb her lover from his sleep. Cloud, Vincent, and Lucretia were all at home, so if the children were hungry, one of them would feed them. Content with this resolve, she nuzzled Sephiroth's hair and moaned against it, wishing this moment would last forever.

"Tifa?" His voice was quiet, but it surprised her.

"I thought you were still asleep." She sighed softly.

"I just woke up…I was listening to your heartbeat…it's beautiful."

"How so?"

"Because it lets me know you're here, this is really happening, and that you're alive."

"Were you afraid you'd killed me?" His words confused her, but she spoke lightly.

He just shook his head, his hair tickled her and she gasped at the silkiness. "No, I was worried I'd dreamed all of this and none of it is real."

"Sephiroth…"

"Shh…please, just let me listen to your heart." He placed an innocent kiss just above the crevice of her breasts, not kissing her skin, but her heart. "Tifa, I love you."

"I love you too, Sephiroth."

Downstairs, Lucretia had indeed risen early to make breakfast. The children were claiming to be starving; however she knew they were doing nothing more than exaggerating.

Vincent and Cloud had also gotten out of bed, but while Vincent joined everyone downstairs, Cloud had a strange feeling roll around in his gut. It was a doomy feeling, the kind one gets when they know their spouse had been unfaithful to them. But Cloud didn't have a wife, nor did he exactly have a girlfriend, still…that feeling was gnawing at him. Creeping up the stairs toward the roof, he was unsure of what he'd end up seeing, not that it mattered, since Tifa was nothing more than a close friend. Once he'd reached the top, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and then opened the door.

The hinges of this door were well oiled and didn't make a sound as it swung open, and he was able to walk unnoticed toward the fire pit. He did not make the corner, but he cautiously looked around it to see if they were even up there. Low and behold, they _were_ there, and they were both completely naked and having what looked to be very passionate sex.

Cloud felt ill. He quickly whipped back around the wall and sunk down to the floor. Why did he feel so sick all of a sudden? It wasn't like it meant anything to him, but…Yes it did; it made him feel betrayed. He felt a like a little boy on the playground with a shiny toy, but another boy took it away because _he_ wanted to play with it. And what made it worse was that the toy had feelings, and it liked the new boy better. At least, that was what it felt like to Cloud.

Pulling himself to his feet, Cloud stumbled toward the door. Inside of him rose an emotion that was not quite anger and not quite sadness, it was somewhere in the middle and he suddenly realized the sense of spitefulness that went along with it. He wanted to hurt Tifa, not physically of course, but he wanted to upset her somehow, to ruin the happiness she seemed to have found. If he couldn't be happy, then why should she? He'd suddenly come to realize how Tifa's unhappiness seemed to please him. It was a latent pleasure, something he was never aware of. He'd always told himself that he wanted her to be happy, and yet he constantly sabotaged any chance of that, and now it was obvious to him that while she was miserable, he felt comfortable in his own misery. Aerith was dead, so now Cloud was unable to find much joy in anything, and Tifa wanted him and his rejection of her caused her pain…And he was perfectly alright with that, as long as they were unhappy together. But now Sephiroth had shown up, and he was making her happy again, and even Vincent had Lucretia…and so even he had found the will to live and to smile. So now Cloud was left alone in his dark, gloomy depression.

But as he made it down to the second level, he'd once again come to his senses. Shaking his head, he tried to drive out the negativity_. No…I can't think like this. Tifa is my friend and I really do want her to be happy. And if Sephiroth is the one that makes her feel better then…so be it. _Taking a deep breath, Cloud continued downstairs to join everyone else for breakfast.

Once he'd made it down to the bar, he discovered everyone had already sat down to eat. Feeling a little put out, he was about to leave again, until a young voice called out to him.

"Cloud! Come on, before it gets cold!" Denzel exclaimed as he patted the chair beside him. "I've got a plate for you."

Cloud gulped down the lump in his throat and he was able to conjure a smile. What a simple comment it was, but the meaning was immeasurable to him. Elmyra always said that having a daughter helped to quell the pain of losing her husband, the same was true of Barrett and Marlene, and Cloud suddenly thought the same of his situation. He'd lost Aerith, but the hole in his heart could be filled by the tender love of his son. Sure, Denzel was not really his child, but Aerith wasn't really Elmyra's either, nor is Marlene to Barrett, so his own situation was not any different. _Yes…I can find happiness in my son to destroy the loneliness left behind by Aerith's death. Besides, I should pay more attention to him anyway…My son; he may very well be the best part of me. _

Keeping the smile even after he sat down, Cloud put his arm around Denzel's shoulders and drew him in close. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm hungry!" Denzel giggled under his arm. "Dad! Why are you squeezing me?"

"I'm sorry," Cloud loosened his grip on him and pulled away slightly, "I'm just happy to see you this morning."

Denzel didn't reply, he only giggled and shoved Cloud's plate in front of him. "Eat it; Lucretia is a great cook! She's even better than Tifa!" Upon realizing what he said, he leaned in and said quietly, "Don't tell Mom I said that."

"Heh, don't worry, I won't." Cloud laughed before digging into the cooling crepes on his plate.

"Where are Sephiroth and Tifa?" Lucretia inquired, worrying of her own child going hungry.

"Uh….they're still sleeping, apparently they had a late night." Cloud said hastily, obviously covering for them, not wishing them disturbed.

A smirk found its way onto Vincent's face and he narrowed his eyes at Cloud. "I'm sure they did." He remembered the way Sephiroth was so anxious about preparing for something the previous night, and had concluded that he and Tifa would be quite _indisposed_.

"Oh, I see." Lucretia caught on with the little information given. She quickly came to the conclusion that they'd finally come to terms with their feelings and confessed their love.

Meanwhile on the roof, Sephiroth and Tifa were curled up against one another, coming down from their high after yet another beautiful joining. They were spent and covered in sweat, though felt cold due to the cool morning air. Though they'd exhausted themselves, they still found the strength to keep their lips pressed together.

"We…should…go…downstairs…" Tifa uttered between kisses.

"I know…" Sephiroth agreed, though he did not wish to let go of her even for a moment.

It was about an hour later that they finally were able find the will to stand and get dressed. They were both disheveled and it would seem suspicious if they joined everyone while still dressed in their evening attire. So the couple went down to Tifa's…_their_ bedroom to change clothes and gussy up.

Sephiroth had changed rather fast, and had to wait for Tifa to finish up. He took a seat on the side of the bed, watching her as she bushed her long, dark hair. She was the very essence of what it meant to be the perfect woman. She was flawless in every way, at least to him she was.

Noticing him staring at her, Tifa gazed back at him through their reflection in the mirror. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Closing his eyes, he replied, "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Dropping her head, part in shame and part in flattery, she said, "No. No one that really mattered anyway."

"Well, then I shall be the first." An arrogant smirk crossed his lips and he approached her, placing a kiss on her head. "You are so beautiful."

"Thank you." She leaned back against his chest.

"I just want to say again, happy birthday, Tifa."

With that, Tifa leaned forward again, placing her elbows on the surface of the dressing table. "It's not my birthday."

"I know it was yesterday."

"My birthday is in May, this is October."

Sephiroth was confused. "What do you mean? Denzel said –"

"Denzel lied to you."

"Why would he do such a thing?"

"Probably to get your attention…Perhaps you should ask him. But don't be alarmed, he doesn't lie often and when he does it's for a good reason."

Sephiroth smiled with mild amusement. "I won't hold it against him. He's a good boy." At least this explained why the others were questioning what he was up to. "So this means I have 7 months to think up something better to give you."

"That's right." She teased. "So when is _your_ birthday?"

He paused. That was a really good question…"You know…I have absolutely no idea. I've never been given the privilege of celebrating a birthday and no one ever told me when it was."

"Well then, we'll just have to ask Lucretia." Tifa grabbed his hand and towed him from the room.

As they stepped out into the hall, they heard a smacking sound from the living room followed by laughter. Curious, Tifa lead him toward it, and they found Lucretia playing a clapping game with Marlene. Tifa and Sephiroth watched them for a while, thoroughly enjoying the sight of them together. But as Marlene and Lucretia played, Marlene just happened to glance up and see them standing in the doorway.

"Tifa, Sephiroth!" She ran up to her and grabbed their hands. "Come play with us!"

"Okay, baby, but just for a little bit." Tifa said sweetly as she sat down, ready to join in. Sephiroth, on the other hand, felt a bit awkward. He'd never played a game like this before and found it to be quite odd.

"You'll have to teach me." He whimpered, feeling utterly lost.

"You mean you've never played a clapping game before?" Marlene was dumbfounded on her end as well.

"Well, I never got to play games when I was your age." He sought to defend himself.

"None at all? You mean you never played tag, board games, hide and seek, or capture the flag?"

Lucretia and Tifa stole an amused glance at one another during this exchange.

"Well…when you put it that way…" Sephiroth decided, "I did play 'capture the flag' and 'hide and seek' or at least a rendition of them during my military training."

"Yeah…that's not really what I had in mind." Marlene shrank away from him with a distressed expression on her face.

Sephiroth sensed her discomfort and smiled, "But…I am a champion at chess."

"Chess?" Her face lit up. "I love that game."

"Then we should play some time. But for now, teach me this clapping thing."

"Ok," The girl slapped her hands together before turning her palms out to face him. "It's like that, but you have to salute when we say 'see-see-see'."

"What?"

"You have to sing the song too."

"O-okay…"

"Like this." Marlene starting the clapping and then she began to sing, "A Soldier went to sea-sea-sea, to see what he could see-see-see, but all that he could see-see-see, was the bottom of the deep blue sea-sea-sea!"

Of course, Sephiroth was clumsy at it, causing Tifa and Lucretia to erupt in a fit of laughter. Sephiroth felt a little ashamed, insisting that they should do it again. However, despite his distaste for the song, he joined in with her. This time around his performance was much better.

Sephiroth was having fun, but he was a little nervous to admit it. But it was easier to wear a confident smile when Tifa and Lucretia joined in with them. The four of them created a circle and clapped simultaneously with each other. It was awkward, but they managed to pull it off without much trouble. When one of them messed up, they fell out of the circle and the remaining players would continue. Tifa was the first to fall out, followed by Sephiroth, leaving Lucretia and Marlene to duke it out. Marlene of course was the winner.

"Well that was…interesting." Sephiroth said as he rubbed his numb, tingling hands together.

"Just admit it, honey, you had fun." Lucretia laughed as she too tried to shake out the numbness in her hands.

"Alright, it was fun." He conceded.

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**Originally, the story was supposed to end with the last chapter, but I've decided to continue on with this for a little bit longer. Besides, I've got more stuff in mind to happen and the ending is going will have much better closure. BTW, that clapping game, song and all is something real from my childhood. **


	31. Chapter XXXI: From Happiness to Sadness

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII.**

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**Change of Heart**

**Chapter XXXI: From Happiness to Sadness in 60 Seconds**

"Mother, I need to ask you an important question." Sephiroth said quietly, though he wasn't exactly sure why he was whispering.

"You know I'll tell you anything." Lucretia scooted closer to him. Her eyes fell upon Tifa who gazed back at her with intrigue.

"I want to know…When is my birthday?"

"Y-your birthday?" Based on their behavior, she wasn't expecting him to ask that, but it was a simple question to answer. Lucretia closed her eyes and smiled. She lifted Sephiroth's and Tifa's hands in her own and clasped them together as she held them. "It's May 3rd."

Tifa gasped delicately at that answer. "That's my birthday."

"We share the same birthday?" Sephiroth's face lit up and he found a smile.

"Well, it looks like I'll have to think of an even better gift to give to you." Tifa elbowed him gently in the ribs.

"Huh?" Lucretia was confused. "I thought your birthday was yesterday."

"No, Denzel lied." Tifa confessed, "I'm so sorry about that."

"Speaking of which, I should go pay that little man a visit." Sephiroth made to stand, but Tifa kept her hand clenched around his, causing him to pause.

"We should go together."

With a smile, he lifted her from the sofa and regarded Lucretia once more. "Thank you, mother."

"Not a problem, ask me anything you wish at any time."

With one question answered, Sephiroth and Tifa set out to ask another. They found Denzel in his bedroom, working on his model airship. The door was slightly ajar, but Tifa knocked on the doorframe to announce their entry. Denzel snapped his head up, a look of surprise and expectancy on his face; he was waiting to know the outcome of their night together.

"Hey Tifa."

"Denzel, can we come in?"

"Sure." He put down his paintbrush and turned around in his chair.

Tifa and Sephiroth entered, closing the door behind them. They sat down on the bed side by side. "Sweetheart –" Tifa began, but Sephiroth hastily hushed her.

"Denzel, I need you to tell me why you lied to me about Tifa." His voice was firm, but not loud or harsh.

The boy gulped and dropped his head in shame.

"I'm not angry with you; I just want to know why you did that."

"I'm sorry, Sephiroth, I just wanted…" He trailed off as he looked at Tifa. Getting up from the chair, he cautiously inched toward them and squeezed in between them on the bed. "I just wanted you to make my mom happy; I was hoping that if you thought it was her birthday then you'd do something nice for her."

Any ill will that Sephiroth may have borne this situation was instantly decimated with this innocent notion. He wrapped his arm around Denzel and pulled him against his side. "You know you didn't have to make up a story for me to be nice to Tifa, I'd have done it anyway."

Denzel only remained silent, cherishing the close contact. It was a rare thing when Cloud would cuddle him and for some reason it was just as nice for Sephiroth to do it too. Sephiroth as well enjoyed the emotional connection it maintained, and he wished with all his heart that Denzel was his own child. Tifa also leaned in and snuggled him. "You're a silly ninny." She prodded playfully, pinching his cheek before kissing it.

"So did he make you happy, mom?" He pulled away from Sephiroth and sought Tifa's attention.

Tifa ruffled his wavy brown locks and looked up at Sephiroth with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "Yes, sweetie, he made me very, very happy."

"Good."

"But, there's something else I need to tell you. Sephiroth and I are _together_ now."

Sephiroth piped in, "All those questions you were asking about us falling love…well, the answer is, yes. Yes, we're in love, Denzel."

"I knew it!" Denzel sat upright and threw his fists straight up in the air in triumph, then he leapt from the bed and ran out the door, calling for Marlene to give her the good news.

Tifa and Sephiroth just looked at each other and exchanged smiles before starting to giggle. They hadn't expected a reaction like that from him, but it was a welcome change in his behavior. Sephiroth tossed his arms around her and drew her in the hundredth kiss they'd shared that morning. There couldn't be anything sweeter in their lives at that moment, at least that's what it felt like to _them_.

Cloud, on the other hand, was busy pouting in his room, trying to think of the best way to keep from losing his sanity. He wanted Tifa to be happy and to be with Sephiroth if she desired, but he was still pissed off about being left out of the 'joyful circle'. Of course, he had his child, but that innocent love only satisfied his heart so much. He figured that perhaps the fact that the pain was still so fresh that he couldn't find fulfillment in anything else, and he would in time grow to fill that void with something worth his devotion.

He seemed to be going back and forth with it, one moment he's optimistic about drowning his sorrows by paying more attention to Denzel and his friends, and the next he's back to being depressed about not having the woman he loves.

Flopping down on his bed, Cloud decided to think about everything that's made him happy since Aerith's death. Tifa had made him happy…and there was a brief sparkle of a moment when Cloud thought he falling in love with her, but the old despair crept back into his heart when Elmyra asked him to deliver flowers to the place where he'd submerged Aerith in the river…that was when he realized he couldn't forget about her. And then Denzel came along, and his soul was revived, but the Stigma stood in the way of a better life. But the sickness was gone now and Cloud had returned home, and now that Sephiroth was back on the side of good, what was there really to stand in Cloud's way of enjoying his life?

Nothing at all except himself.

"It's been two years since she died. Since she was murdered…" He whispered as he stared at the ceiling. What pissed him off then was that her murderer was living under the roof as he, was cozying up his kid, and worst of all was now _fucking_ his closest friend and confidant. And what made the whole situation worse was that he was letting him do it!

No. He shook his head. It wasn't his fault, he didn't mean to kill her; it was Jenova taking control of him. "Sephiroth and I are friends now." He had to reassure himself of that before he could think of anything else.

Sitting up, Cloud looked at the map hanging on the wall. It was a map of the entire Eastern Continent; he used that map to plot routes for his deliveries, and the kids liked to examine it to see where he goes on his long trips. But as he scrutinized it, he was not doing it for the benefit of his job, but for taking a much needed vacation. The last time he went out was only for a night when he took Denzel to the fair in Kalm. But Denzel had four days left before he had to return to school, so he decided they would go for another longer trip.

While Cloud was worrying about how where he should take Denzel, the rest of the house was awake with a jovial fuss. Denzel had told Marlene about Tifa and Sephiroth and now she was on the verge of doing cartwheels. It was a bit embarrassing for Sephiroth, especially when Lucretia and Vincent found the children's reactions a little more than slightly amusing. In fact they roared with laughter. But soon Sephiroth forced that brief panic aside and found it funny as well.

Who'd have thought that this morning would be full of so many smiles? It was slightly intimidating, as there had been very few times in the last couple of years that they'd been able to laugh and smile like they did now, but this was a sign that things were only going to get better. Between the six of them, there were many hugs and kisses shared and all of them were full of nothing but perfect love and perfect trust.

When Cloud finally left his room, he entered the living room, but faltered in his entry as he saw everyone sitting together. Before him sat three generations of a mismatched family, and yet they looked so perfect together. Two children, parents, and grandparents, alive with smiles and only nice things to say to and about one another. Cloud felt lost, out of place, and unwanted. He felt like he was nothing but a ghost, no one even seemed to miss him. But as he was about to slide back into his room to do some more brooding, a soft voice spoke up out of the pack.

"I wish Cloud would come out of his room to hang out with us." It was Denzel's voice, and Cloud was on the verge of tears when he heard Tifa reply.

"Yeah, he's been holed up in there for a while, I'm starting to worry."

"I'll go check on him." Sephiroth offered sincerely.

Cloud could hear him rise from the sofa, so he hurried back to his room so as not get caught eavesdropping. Once back in the sanctuary of his cave, he waited almost anxiously for Sephiroth to tap on the door.

There was the knocking. It wasn't loud, but it almost sent his nerves into a frenzy. Gulping down the knot in his throat, Cloud called out, "It's open!"

Sephiroth cautiously opened the door and found Cloud sifting through papers on his desk. Unbeknownst to him however, Cloud wasn't really looking at anything at all; he was just making himself appear busy so he wouldn't have to explain why he's been reluctant to come out.

Closing the door behind him, Sephiroth approached Cloud. "Tifa and Denzel would like you to come out to spend some time with us. In fact, we were all hoping you'd come out." He didn't bother with any small talk and cut straight to the chase.

"Oh yeah?" Cloud tried to act nonchalant about it.

"Yes." Sephiroth crossed his arms. "We were thinking about taking the children on a picnic this afternoon, do you want to go with us?"

Cloud's shoulders hunched up and he turned around to face him. He thought he was hiding his worrying, but Sephiroth saw right through him. With a great sigh, Sephiroth dropped his head before uttering an annoyed laugh.

"What's the matter now, Cloud?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying. I know because I know what your 'tell' is." Sephiroth referred to the way Cloud nostrils flared when he wasn't being truthful.

"What is it?

"If I told you, you'd try to hide it the next time you lie."

"Touché. I know what your 'tell' is too, by the way." Cloud in turn noticed that when Sephiroth lied his voice got several octaves deeper.

"I won't bother asking. By the way, while we're on the subject, do you know what Tifa's 'tell' is?" Sephiroth was slightly amused with where this conversation had suddenly gone.

"Well, used to, she would tap her toe on the floor behind her. But now, she presses her lips together in a hard line."

"I'm surprised you noticed."

"Listen, Sephiroth, sure I don't spend lots of time with her, but I don't ignore her either."

"Alright, what about Marlene?"

"Marlene doesn't lie."

"And Denzel?"

Cloud was stumped with that one. "Denzel's a mystery. I know he tells little white lies, but so far he's got no 'tell'."

"That's true; he's fooled me already."

Cloud's mouth twitched with a hint of a smile. "So what is this, Sephiroth?"

"Like I said, Tifa and Denzel want you to spend time with them."

Sighing with contempt, Cloud turned back to his desk. "Doesn't she want to be alone with you? I mean I'd just get in the way."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Listen, Sephiroth, I went up to the roof and saw you two together this morning, I know about it already. So I figured she wouldn't want to be around me."

Sephiroth just tossed his head back with a sudden gasp of aggravation, rolling his eyes at his _frenemy. _"You are an idiot, do you know that? Just because Tifa and I are lovers doesn't mean you have to stop being her friend. Don't forget, I want you to be my friend too."

Cloud's back stiffened up again and he sat up straight, listening a little closer.

"Why does it bother you that we're together, anyway? It's not as if you had any interest in her?"

"It doesn't –"

"Stop lying!" Sephiroth was growing more furious with each word spoken.

"Alright," Cloud turned around to face him again, "the truth is, I'm jealous of her…and you. It's not that I want Tifa for myself, but I'm envious of your relationship with her. Why can't I have what you have? The one woman that I've ever truly loved is dead and now I have no one share my life with. I think about her day and night and no matter how much I try I just can't stop wishing she'd come back….even though I know it's pointless. And to watch Tifa being happy with you, I find myself resenting her for it…and Vincent with Lucretia…Why am I the only one who isn't happy?"

With that, Sephiroth grabbed Cloud's collar and delivered a sharp uppercut to his jaw. It wasn't enough to really hurt this enhanced warrior, but it was certainly enough to surprise him. "You're unhappy because you're letting yourself be that way! If you would get up off your lazy ass and be with your family, you'd find that there's more to life than you think. I discovered that, so now it's time you do too. You hide away in this dungeon and pine over a lost love… I'm sorry I took her from you, I truly am, but you need to understand that there are a million other women out there. And remember that you've got a child right here right now that needs you more than anyone." There were tears in Sephiroth's eyes, but he bit them back so he could speak. "I know what it's like to grow up with no parents, and the last thing I want is to see that sweet, innocent boy become a _monster_ like me because he didn't get the love and attention he deserves from his father!"

Cloud wrenched his hand from his shirt and forced him away. "You're already with his mother, why don't _you_ be his father then? He thinks the world of you anyway!" Cloud too, was ready to cry, but he swallowed it.

"You're pathetic, Cloud!" Sephiroth stormed toward the door. "You say he thinks the world of me? Well you fail to notice he _worships_ the ground _you_ walk on!" Sephiroth slammed the door behind him.

Alone in the middle of the dark room, Cloud was left with nothing but his own guilt.


	32. Chapter XXXII: Sudden Departure

**I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Sorry for the wait guys!**

* * *

**Change of Heart **

**Chapter XXXII: Sudden Departure**

Tossing a duffle bag on his desk, Cloud began to pack all he could into it. He wasn't sure if he was leaving on that four day trip, or if he was leaving forever, all he knew was that he needed to get out of there and fast. His heart felt pinched and he almost felt as though were being strangled.

Shoving all he could into the bag, he took a jar from deep in his closet that housed a stash of money he'd been saving for Denzel. He grabbed his sword and tossed it over his shoulder, lifting his bag with his free hand and carried it out.

He hoped to he could just grab Denzel and leave, but as he went across to the children's bedroom, he heard a voice whisper behind him.

"Where are you going? I thought you didn't have any deliveries this week." Denzel muttered softly behind him.

Whipping around, Cloud knelt down to Denzel's level and smiled. "I don't have any deliveries to make; you and I are going on a little trip."

The boy's face lit up. "We are? Where are we going?"

"Where ever the road leads." Cloud reached into his bag and pulled out the jar, placing it carefully in Denzel's hands. "This is some money I was saving for you to have when you got older. I'm not really sure what it's exactly for, but, I thought I'd give it to you now. There's about 1,000 gil in it already."

Turning the jar over in his hands, Denzel stared at it blankly before turning his widened eyes up at Cloud. "All this just for me?"

Before Cloud could say anything else, Tifa appeared from the living room. "Cloud? What's going on, Sephiroth's really upset…" That was when she noticed the bag sitting beside them, "…What the hell are you doing?"

"I was about to come tell you, I'm taking Denzel on an impromptu vacation before he has to go back to school. But don't worry; we'll be back in time for him to get a good night's rest before classes."

Sephiroth had appeared behind Tifa right then. As the men's eyes met, Cloud was certain that Sephiroth was still pissed off at him and stood up before him. "I'm taking Denzel on a trip. So he won't be joining you on your picnic; it's strictly a father-son thing."

Denzel turned back to Cloud who only smiled and told him to hurry and pack his bag.

Tifa pushed her hair behind her ear nervously. Clearing her throat, she said, "This is really sudden."

"Yeah, but hey, spur of the moment ideas are usually the most fun." Cloud stood up again and smiled, hoping to relax her.

"I do hope you plan to cater to that boy's every wish while you're away." Sephiroth growled. "He gets anything he wants...junk food…toys…_Anything_. If he wants candy and cake for breakfast at three o'clock in the morning, you better give it to him! Is that clear?"

"Sephiroth…" Tifa was stunned by this gesture, unsure if he was being serious or not. But given the way he was staring down Cloud, as if he'd kill him should he refuse, she was growing fairly certain that he wasn't joking. Also, considering the angry expression he'd had earlier after emerging from Cloud's room, it was also a fair bet to say that they'd shared words.

Cloud looked like he was about to argue, but, swallowing the urge, he understood what Sephiroth was getting at and nodded positively. "Anything he wants, he gets. Besides, I just gave him his own money."

Sephiroth huffed, snorting through his nose, "You really are pathetic."

"I know."

Tifa looked back and forth between both men, trying to figure them out. They were clearly angry at one another, Sephiroth more so than Cloud. She gulped and sighed heavily, dropping her head into her hand and rubbing her temple.

"Alright then, just make sure you have him home in time." She agreed, though not liking the sudden unplanned departure.

"Don't worry, Tifa." Cloud approached her and took her in his arms for a hug. "I promise I'll take care of him; I always do." He cast a dark glare at Sephiroth who in turn bared his teeth at him.

"Cloud…" Tifa sighed in his embrace, remembering why she'd loved him. But as she felt her heart begin to race, she backed away from him and stepped closer to Sephiroth. "Alright, just let me give him a little kiss before you go." She hastily escaped to the children's room.

Sephiroth and Cloud were left alone in the hall.

"I saw that, Cloud." Sephiroth sneered under his breath.

Cloud just narrowed his eyes at him, not bothering to waste his breath on talking to him. Not that he'd have time to come up with a snappy comeback anyway as Tifa and Denzel emerged from the bedroom.

"Ready to go, buddy?" The smile found Cloud's face again and he grabbed his son's bag.

"Yeah!" Denzel beamed, but before following Cloud downstairs, he rushed in to give Tifa one more big hug and kiss.

Cloud had paused long enough to see him finish saying goodbye to Tifa, but wished he'd turned around just in time to miss him embracing Sephiroth. It wasn't what the boy did that pissed him off, it was the look of triumph that Sephiroth flashed him. Gritting his teeth together, he continued down the stairs to pack up the bike.

Sephiroth and Tifa accompanied them to the garage and watched as they pulled out and drove away. Sephiroth noticed the gaze of longing that crept onto Tifa's face and he felt a pang of anxiety and jealousy nag at his heart.

"Tifa, before we go any further in this relationship, I need to ask you something."

His words stung her like a wasp and she felt a shudder run through her body. "What is it?" She turned her eyes up to his, seeking the meaning behind his words.

"I need to know if you're still holding onto your feelings for Cloud. I noticed, you still look at him the same way." It was as tough for him to ask it as it was for her to hear it.

Tifa felt somewhat offended by this; feeling attacked and wounded. However, she knew it needed to be asked for him to feel secure and she needed to convince herself she was over it. "No." She wrapped her arms around his waist, coaxing him to hold her close, and she kissed the corner of his mouth. "I'm in love with you, Sephiroth. While it's true that I will always have a fond place in my heart for him…after all, he was my first love…my feelings for him now are nothing more than of friendship. I am _your _woman now, Sephiroth. Please don't feel threatened by something that no longer exists."

Sephiroth ran his fingers through her hair and took her small head between his massive hands and held her thus. He looked into her deep reddish eyes and found the truth in her words. It wasn't as if he was going to leave her should she still have feelings of desire for Cloud, but he needed to know that he'd truly won her and had no more battles to fight. He loved her with every inch of his being and would until the day he died; however, he needed to know she loved him too. And he was confident that she did.

"I'm sorry." He whispered gently, pulling her face close to plant a solid kiss on her lips. "I just needed to ask."

"I understand." Tifa mewed against his lips.

He released her head and steered her toward the door. "Come on, let's go inside. Do you still want to take Marlene to the church today?"

"Yes."

Before long, Cloud and Denzel had left the city behind them. They rode along the main drag, following signs for Junon.

"Where are we going?" Denzel called out to Cloud over the rushing wind.

"I want to show you something."

"Are we going to take a boat?" Denzel was put off about being on another boat for the third time in a week, but there was something in Cloud's voice that halted whatever protest might escape him.

"Yeah, we're going to the Western Continent." He announced as he hit the accelerator and raced onward toward Junon.

Back in Edge, Lucretia was in awe at the sight of the Sector Five church. It was truly remarkable about this seemingly delicate structure was the only coherent building standing in the area. Just like Sephiroth had been, she was completely enthralled with its majesty and beauty. She too felt her nerves rush upon her and the weight of her sins bear down on her as she approached the massive doors leading into this magical sanctuary.

"I'm not sure if this is a place I should be." She whispered softly to herself as she watched innocent Marlene run inside with no reserve. Vincent and Sephiroth followed the girl closely, they of all people should've reacted similarly, however like the child they did not think twice about entering this holy place.

"Sephiroth felt the same way." Tifa said as she placed the picnic basket on the ground, taking in the view of the church from where Lucretia had paused.

Blushing, Lucretia looked away from her for a brief second before turning her head back toward her. "I'm sorry, I hadn't realized I'd spoken aloud."

"Don't be." Tifa reassured. "Truth be told, Sephiroth was worried that he'd be dragged to hell if he entered this church. But he wasn't, obviously."

"I just feel like I'm not worthy."

"And I'm any less a sinner?" Tifa swallowed hard, feeling her back tense up at the memory of her past. "If anyone needs to enter this church it's those of us who need forgiveness. This is not a place of judgment and damnation…It's a place of love and healing." She took Lucretia's hand in hers and bent to pick up the basket. "Come on, let's enjoy the rest of our day."

Hand-in-hand, the two women entered the church to join their loved ones. Once inside, Lucretia was met with the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. Where she'd expected to find a large open room full of pews and books of prayer, she found a large crystal clear pool surrounded with thousands of beautiful white and gold lilies. The flowers seemed to glow and sparkle as if they were infused with magic. As she cast her gaze upward toward where an altar bearing an effigy of a deity should be, there before her stood a couple of crumbling columns and at their center was the massive Buster sword driven into the floor.

"How strange." Lucretia raised a curious eyebrow at this strange of mix of the spiritual and secular. "Why is there an instrument of war inside a church?"

"Cloud put it there. That sword belonged to his friend Zack, who died protecting him, and these flowers were grown by Aerith. Also, this church was where Zack and Aerith first met, and in turn, was where she and Cloud first met." Tifa explained calmly.

"This place is your family's special sanctuary, isn't it?" Lucretia murmured under her breath.

"This place is _our _family's special sanctuary." Tifa corrected swiftly.

Lucretia only smiled and joined Vincent near the water's edge. Tifa watched after her with her own smile meeting her eyes. Sephiroth had overheard what she'd said and went up to her side and took her waist.

"That's why I love you." He whispered in her ear, his breath blew her hair around.

"What are you talking about?" She pressed her head into his face, causing him to nuzzle her.

"Your kindness and willingness to accept anyone into your life." He rewarded her with a kiss on her temple.

"I suppose I'm just a sucker."

"No, you're just a wonderful human being."

Turning into his chest, Tifa rested her head on his shoulder and breathed in the spicy smell of his aftershave. "You are too."

"Heh…I sometimes wonder about that. And I'm sure Cloud would have something to say about it."

"Forget Cloud." Tifa caressed his jaw and trailed her fingers down his throat before letting her hand come to rest just below his collarbone. "Just remember that I wouldn't have you any other way."

Sephiroth chuckled breathily. "Are you sure about that? I recall a time when you wouldn't have me at all."

Tifa pulled away from him and punched him playfully in the shoulder, though he did recoil at the hard impact. "Will you stop doubting yourself or my feelings for you? It's so not sexy, Sephiroth."

"I'm sorry, Tifa." Sephiroth took her shoulders and held her at half an arm's length away. "It's…it's just hard to believe that you're really mine." With that he brought her close once more and held her tightly.

She squeezed him as tightly as she could, savoring the warmth of his body and the security of his embrace. In turn, Sephiroth was delighting in the comfort of her, finding it pleasurable at how she seemed to fit perfectly in his arms. They could have stayed like that forever, but the voice of his mother interrupted them.

"The two of you better come quick before we eat all the food!" Lucretia laughed as she handed Marlene a sandwich.

"You better not!" Tifa replied sharply, though in good humor as she tugged Sephiroth to the spot in the isle where Vincent had lain out their spread.

It was a strange place to have a picnic, though in Edge, there wasn't much else, let alone a place so peaceful and beautiful.


End file.
